From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Ilaro-Owode Road in Yewa South Local Government, Ogun State, once stood out as a death trap. Motorists, commuters and residents used to have unpleasant experiences of anguish and agonies plying the road.
So also Ijoko-Oke/Aro-Alagbole Road. This road project with four fly overs and stretching from Ado-Odo/Ota LG to Ifo LG, brought untold hardship on the residents of these communities. Not only did flood ravage these communities, fatal accidents and fire incident wrecked havoc.
These roads and many others were abandoned to become death traps littering the state. Except for a few locations in Abeokuta, where some roads albeit short of standards were said to have been done, the other two senatorial districts suffered either total neglect or left with a plethora of abandoned road projects.
Even at that, projects such as Pansheke-Adigbe-Obada, flyovers at Kuto and NNPC and Mokola-Kugba-Saje-Adatan were abandoned, with residents bearing the brunt.
As start-off, Governor Dapo Abiodun ordered the completion of the two flyovers at Kuto and NNPC in Abeokuta. Similarly, he directed that palliative works be carried out on the lengthy Mokola-Kugba-Saje-Adatan Road, with a promise to complete the abandoned project. Government also delved into the of reconstruction the Ijoko-Oke/Aro-Alagbole Road, bring succour to residents.
Abiodun then began to flag off new road projects. One of such was the Ijebu-Ode-Ita/Mojoda-Epe Road linking Ijebu Ode to Epe in Lagos State, completed and inaugurated. It provides easy access especially to those commuting from the state via Epe enroute Ibeju, Lekki, Victoria Island and Lagos Island.
Earlier, FAJOL-American Junction-Gbonangun and Elite-Salam Kaola-Idi in Ogun Central were constructed. In Ogun West, Ikola-Navy-Osi Ikola Road in Ado/Odo Ota LG was constructed. It links the inner Ota with Lagos State through the Raypower Road.
Then, there is the 19.2km Atan-Lusada-Agbara Industrial Road. The road was not only in a deplorable, but caused huge losses to companies in Agbara Industrial Estate and its environs. On many occasions, vehicles carrying finished goods and products would fall and spill their contents due to the poor condition of one of the most important roads in the state. The road is nearing completion.
Ministry of Works and Infrastructure claimed that 80 roads had been completed, 27 on going, eight awarded, one pending and another one to be awarded.
The state of disrepair of federal roads coursing through the state, particularly the Lagos-Sango-Abeokuta Expressway, Governor Abiodun made several overtures to the then President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to allow the state take over the rehabilitation of the road, but the efforts did not yield positive results.
Apparently touched by the pains and agonies being experienced by motorists and commuters on the road, the incumbent administration carried out a series of palliative works, especially in Itori-Ewekoro axis and Joju-Sango overhead bridge area.
The governor’s persistent calls for a synergy between the state and the federal government on rehabilitation of federal roads in the state, however paid off with the award of the reconstruction of the road to Cranburg Construction Company, few months ago.
The governor, during the flag-off of the reconstruction of the 70km road in Itori, Ewekoro Local Government Area of the state, in August, noted that the road was significant not only to Ogun State but also to Lagos State and the nation, as it provides a thoroughfare for people going to the neighbouring country.
Speaking further at the turning of sod on the expressway, the governor said, “The plan for the reconstruction of this road did not just start today because we have the interest of our people at heart. We know this is a Federal Government road, and the State had to follow the due process before getting the required approval to commence the reconstruction.
“This road was awarded in 2003, but since then, it has suffered insufficient funding, resulting in contractors working and many times abandoning the road at times for a year by when the roads would have suffered degradation. Our people have suffered too much travelling on this road, but today Hope is Renewed.
“I am glad to inform you that work is beginning on the road immediately. The excuse then was that there was a sitting contractor on the road. The best the state could do at that time was to carry out palliative works on the critical sections along the road axis. We re-opened our appeal to the Federal Government to reconstruct the road upon the inauguration of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who graciously, through the Minister for Works, handed over the reconstruction of the road to Ogun State.
“I want to use this medium, therefore, to express my heartfelt gratitude to the President for obliging our state’s request by granting the approval and releasing the Abeokuta/Ifo/Sango/Abule-Egba Road to us for reconstruction.
“My sincere appreciation also goes to the Federal Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, for his support and cooperation in ensuring our State got the necessary approval to reconstruct the road”.
Abiodun described the road as the second busiest on the country apart from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
“Abeokuta/Ifo/Sango Road has been adjudged to be the second busiest road in Nigeria and is vital to the economy of the people of Ogun State and Nigerians at large. It connects Abeokuta and its hinterlands to Lagos State, and links Ilaro in Ogun West connects to Sagamu in Ogun East through the Sagamu-Interchange-Papalanto-Ilaro road.
“On the/Ota side, it also connects the Sango-Atan-Owode-Idi-Iroko road, leading to border towns and the Benin Republic. The road serves as a critical artery for numerous industrial hubs in Ota, including the Lafarge Cement Factory, Ile-Ise Awo, various schools, and higher institutions. The communities along this corridor are densely populated, and the road’s strategic location has a significant impact on trade and economic activities,” he added.
He, however, disclosed that five construction gangs would be involved in the execution of the project for speedy completion.
“To fast-track the reconstruction of the road, five reconstruction teams will be involved, and each team will handle one of the following zones: Ota/Ifo, Papalanto, Ewekoro/Itori, Abeokuta, and the team allocated for palliative works to ensure smooth traffic along the project alignment during the construction duration.
“Each zone covers a distance of approximately 15 km. The Abeokuta/Ifo/Sango/Abule-Egba Road project is expected to be completed in eighteen months,” the governor stressed.
He further emphasized that the construction of the road would create jobs for both skilled and unskilled workers through direct and indirect employment for residents of the state.
He added that the project would improve security along the axis and provide a conducive environment for factories and businesses in the communities to operate.
While calling on the people to take ownership of the project by cooperating with the contractor, Governor Abiodun urged the private sector to partner with the state government in its socio-economic development drive, stating that his administration would continue to provide the required infrastructure to facilitate easy movement across the state.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Lateef Yusuf, said the state government is committed to ensuring the completion of the 70-kilometer road, which cuts across four local government areas of the State, to alleviate the suffering of motorists.
In his goodwill message, the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, noted that successive administrations in the state did not pay attention to the deplorable condition of the road but praised the present administration for deeming it fit to fix it for good.
Also speaking, the Ogun State Chairman of The All Progressives Congress (APC), Yemi Sanusi, noted that the reconstruction of the road is a major dividend of democracy for the people, as they have been clamoring for its repair for some time now, calling on the road users to make judicious use of it.
The representative of the Managing Director of Craneburg, the company handling the rehabilitation, Edmond Maley, appreciated the state government for entrusting the project to his company.
He assured that the company would execute quality work and called for the cooperation of the people and traffic management for seamless operation.
As work had since commenced on the expressway, Governor Abiodun-led administration has relented in its efforts to ensure more federal roads in bad conditions get desired attention. Apart from lobbying the FG, the governor has continued to woo the private sector entities such as Globacom and Dangote Industry, to partner his government on the rehabilitation of these roads.
Meanwhile, residents of the state have been applauding the governor for giving top priority to road and infrastructure construction across the length and breath of the state.
Idowu Ajiboye, a member of the transport union in the state, commended the governor for his administration’s efforts in road construction and rehabilitation across the state. He noted that repairing bad roads and building new ones had gone a long way to give a boost to transport business and help in reducing wear and tear to their vehicles.
On her part, Mrs Fashanu Ijaoye, a school teacher, described the road construction embarked upon by the incumbent administration as unprecedented. She noted that inner roads such as Olomore, Somorin-Kemta-Idi Aba and FAJOL-American Junction-Gbonangun have helped reduced traffic gridlock on the major roads.
For Abiola Adedunola, an Estate Valuer based in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, many of the roads constructed by the incumbent administration, have opened up the state capital more and thereby increasing premiums on the value of property. She lauded the Governor Abiodun-led administration for living up to its campaign promises.
She, however, urged the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, to ensure maintenance of the roads in order to make it durable.
The Onipokia of Ipokia in Ipokia Local Government Area of the state, Oba Yisa Olaniyan, applauded the governor for his inclusive governance which according to him, has enabled Ogun West to benefit immensely from the road projects being undertaken across the state.
According to Oba Olaniyan, “this is the first time a governor will consider Ogun West for several road projects. Since 2019, Yewa-Awori axis of Ogun has been enjoying real dividends of democracy courtesy the present government of Governor Dapo Abiodun.
“Look at the deplorable condition of Atan-Lusada-Agbara Industrial Road before the advent of the incumbent administration. It was so bad that companies were exiting the industrial estate in Agbara as a result of huge losses they incurred due to bad road. We express our gratitude to the governor for considering this national and international economic road,for reconstruction after several years of abandonment.
“We also thank him for other road projects his administration has carried out in Ogun West. Indeed, we are now experiencing good governance in terms of road construction and other infrastructural development”.