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From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Recently, Osun State governor, Adegboyega Oyetola approved rehabilitation of 25 roads across the state amounting to 200 kilometres.
After years of neglect which had plunged Osun into an unbelievable infrastructural deficit, Oyetola swung into action to reverse the citizens’ nightmares and the setback Osun’s economy has had to endure over the years.
Some of the roads that have sprung to life include the Moro-Yakoyo-Ipetumodu-Asipa-Ife road, which had been abandoned for 45 years; Ada-Igbajo road which was literally forsaken for 33 years; roads in the Akindeko-Awosuru-Alekuwodo area; Osogbo-Kelebe-Iragbiji road as well as the 20km Ejigbo-Ara Junction-Ede road.
Through his commitment, Oyetola has continued to open up the hinterland for development, connecting both urban and rural roads to aid business opportunities, and giving a great proportion of oxygen to Osun’s Development Agenda.
During the anniversary of his third year in office on November 27, 2021, one of the questions raised was what the state government would do to alleviate the troubles people experience on Lameco-Ifon Road because of the deplorable condition of the Federal Government-owned road.
On February 1, Special Adviser to Governor Oyetola on Works and Transport, Hussein Olatoke Olaniyan led a media team on a tour of ongoing road projects. The winding trip began at Awe-Oyo Junction-Bowen University, a span of 4.1km of a deplorable road that leaves residents susceptible to unappreciated visits of raging water. But the Osun Road Maintenance Agency has moved into the area to begin critical intervention and emergency maintenance of the road on Governor Oyetola’s directive.
Mumuni Ayanfe, a transporter in the axis, described the road as one abundantly blessed with economic fortunes but has failed to yield its strength to individuals and even the state because of its poor state. His lamentation was corroborated by Kazeem Olawale, a resident, who spoke about the bad state of the road and the joy of seeing the Osun government wading in to alleviate the suffering of the people.
Olaniyan said the federal government had made attempts to fix the road for about 20 years but hadn’t touched it at all in the last eight years. Several attempts by Osun to get the federal government’s intervention on the road had yet to yield any fruits, he said, adding that Oyetola then directed that immediate action be taken on the road.
The media team also assessed the Iwo to Ikirun-Iree-Otan-Ayegbaju roads, with residents and traders singing the praises of the government. Alaba Olatiloye, a trader at Obaagun recalled how terrible the road had been before the government moved to site. “For some of us selling edibles, we have had to contend with specks of dust settling on our wares, which makes customers have a rethink about whether what they are buying from us is safe for consumption. Since this intervention got to the front of my shop, I have seen the difference. I say a big thanks to the governor and pray God continues to help the government.”
In Otan Ayegbaju, the road had practically broken into two because of the collapse of the culvert that runs across the road. The culvert has now been reconstructed and is stone-based and asphalt-ready.
These were not the only roads the Osun governor ordered an intervention on. The total span is actually a whopping 200km, spread across the state, including the Lameco-Ifon road which had been abandoned for 15 years.
Said Olaniyan: “We have divided the state into six zones: Ikirun/Ila, Iwo/Ejigbo, Ife/Ijesha, Osogbo/Ede and Gbongan/Ikire and others. We have spread the intervention across the nooks and crannies of the state. We will complete the project before the rainy season and that is why we are working day and night to ensure that all areas mapped out are completed.”
The team on its way back to Abeere, the State Government Secretariat went through the Osogbo-Kelebe-Iragbiji Road. Some township roads within Iragbiji were also being constructed. Interestingly, one of the 332 Primary Healthcare Centres that had been revitalised by Oyetola’s administration was standing by the side of the newly paved road. As far as residents of the area were concerned, qualitative healthcare isn’t only accessible by all, but to all.
The following day, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria and other allied bodies, conducted an inspection of the Olaiya Flyover. They commended Governor Oyetola afterwards for his adherence to standard and promotion of local content. A press conference soon followed, where the Special Adviser on Works and Transport, Olaniyan, and the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Remi Omowaiye, gave a list of the other places where the critical intervention was on-going.
They include: Ife zone, having Ipetumodu-Ode-Omu road with a length of 5.83km, linking Ife North and Ayedaade Local Government Areas; and Ayetoro Street in Ifetedo, Ife-South Local Government with a length of 0.85km.
The list in Ilesa Zone includes Wesley-Guild Hospital/ Oke-Iro road in Ilesa East Local Government Area with a length of 0.748km; School of Health Technology junction, Ilesa/Orogboji/Ayegbaju/Iwikun/lyinta/Iwara/Ifewara road, linking Ilesa East and Atakumosa West), covering a length of 8km; Ita-Akogun /Ita-Ofa/General Hospital road, Ilesa, in Ilesa West Local Government Area with a length of 2.85km; Iwara/Igangan Ayegunle/Olopon road in Atakumosa East Local Government Area with a length of 10.2km; Eti Oni/Esa-Oke road in Obokun Local Government Area with a length of 9.0km; Kajola/Oke Ibode/Prince Village /Okere oloja/Oke Osin/floba/Akola/Osu road in Atakumosa West Local Government Area, covering a length of 16.0 km.
And in Ikirun Zone, there is the Asalu junction/Palace Oke Hla/Ikoro Ekiti road in Ifedayo Local Government Area, covering a length of 10km; General Hospital/Aketi Oke Aloyin in Ila Local Government Area, covering 0.48km length of road; Ikirun-Iree-Ila road-36.0km cutting through Ifelodun/Boripe/Boluwaduro Ila Local Government Areas; Idi Esu roundabout Ikirun/Iragbiji/Ororuwo/Ada of 6.37km, covering Ifelodun and Boripe Local Government Areas; Ororuwo Palace road in Boripe Local Government Area of 0.124km; Orita Oke Amola, Ikirun/ Apostolic Church Iragbiji, covering 0.35km linking Ifelodun and Boripe Local Government Areas; Eekosin Inaja covering 7.5km length of the road, in Odo-Otin Local Government Area; Inisa-Iba road in Ifelodun Local Government Area covering a length of 2.25km, are receiving attention.
Olaniyan explained that the rehabilitation of the roads would be done at the cost of N1billion, unlike the past administration that earmarked N1 billon for one kilometre. The roads to be done in the Osogbo Zone are Osogbo /Boredun /Ibokun road, linking Osogbo, and Obokun Local Government Areas, covering 17.49km; Testing Ground/Aderin/Powerline road, Osogbo, in Olorunda Local Government Area; CMS / Oluawo Oba/Kolawole Junction/Oluode – Orita Elelede/Owode Market/Almadiya junction roads, Osogbo in Olorunda Local Government Area, covering 2.145 km length of road; Obalende – Ojude Oga/ Oke Baale road, Osogbo in Osogbo Local Government Area with a length of 0.945km; Ojutu/Elerin Palace road in Irepodun Local Government Area, with a length of 1.752km
In Iwo Zone, Odo-Ori/Adeke road in Iwo Local Government Area with a length of 5.460km; OSADEP Junction (Aawe/Oyo road) / Bowen University. Iwo Local Government Area, covering a length of 4.3km; Gbongan lleogbo /Iwo road linking Ayedaade/Ayedire and Iwo Local Government Areas, covering a length of 24.26km; and Ogbaagba/Ikire-Ile/Ajagunlase road in Olaoluwa Local Government Area with a length of 18km.
