Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved immediate release of N350 million for the completion of the New Kwara State Secretariat Complex in Ilorin.

AbdulRazaq approved the fund after securing a discount of N50m from the contractors who were being owed N515m out of the N1.38bn total contract sums.

The contract had been awarded by the administration of former Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed.

“Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq felt a need to urgently complete the project for the use of civil servants even as he pushed for heavy discount for the state from the contractors,” according to a statement on Wednesday by Rafiu Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.

“The idea is to save money while getting things fixed. As a result, the Governor has approved the release of N350m with which the contractors will finish the work. They will receive N81m after the work is satisfactorily done. That would leave them with the (third payment) retention fee of N34m after six months.”

The statement said the governor is alarmed that some of the state's civil servants are still in rented accommodation, 52 years after Kwara was created.

Architect Makanjuola Kayode, the lead consultant for the project, said the four-block secretariat complex will be ready by August 30.

Each of the blocks has 76 office spaces.

Makanjuola thanked the Governor for approving prompt completion of the project.