Umahi outlines national road projects as Tinubu flags off Osun highways

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday flagged off the construction of the Osogbo-Iwo-Ibadan and Osogbo-Akoda-Gbongan roads, urging contractors to mobilise workers immediately to ensure the projects are completed within 24 months.

Represented by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, at the flag-off held at Aje International Market, Osogbo, Tinubu noted that the approximately 82km Osogbo-Iwo-Ibadan Road is currently in a terrible condition.

“The road originates from the Dele Yes-Sir Roundabout here in Osogbo, traverses various agricultural belts of Osun and Oyo states, and is the shortest route from Osogbo to Ibadan. Major towns and villages along the route include Osogbo, Ara, Awo, Ede, Telemu, Iwo, Laagun, and Ibadan,” Tinubu said.

The contract was awarded to Messrs Peculiar Concerns Limited for N114,854,477,607.93, with a completion period of 24 months.

Similarly, the Gbongan-Osogbo Road spans approximately 44km in each direction (88km total). It originates from the Old Garage Roundabout in Osogbo, passes through major towns such as Owode-Ede, Akoda-Ede, Sekona, Oogi and Odeomu, and ultimately terminates at Gbongan on the Ife-Ibadan Expressway, a major artery linking Osogbo, Ikirun, Offa and Ilorin in Kwara State.

He explained that the project aims to upgrade a failed 20km single carriageway into a dual carriageway using Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP).

“Additionally, a 15.55km section from Osogbo to the Akoda-Ede junction and an 8.6km section toward Gbongan, which are already dualized but in poor condition, will be reconstructed using rigid pavement.

“The contract was awarded to Messrs Trucrete Solutions Limited in the sum of N101,806,515,825.09, with a completion period of 24 months,” Tinubu stated.

He explained that the completed roads will feature solar-powered street lighting, adequate drainage systems, landscaping with trees and grass, strategic lay-bys, and CCTV cameras to monitor and ensure the security of road users. He also urged contractors to involve local youths in the execution of the projects.

The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, justified the Federal Government’s infrastructure loans, explaining that the investments would have a multiplier effect on the economy.

He noted that ongoing works, such as the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesha rehabilitation and the long-overdue dualisation of the Ilesha-Akure-Owo-Benin Road, are being constructed using rigid pavement and are at various stages of completion.

Highlighting other national infrastructure projects, Umahi stated:

“Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway; Section 1 (Lagos) is substantially completed, Section 2 (Ogun) has reached 80% completion, Sections 3A and 3B (Akwa Ibom/Cross River) are at 20%, Sections 4A and 4B (Akwa Ibom) are at 5%, and Section 5 has just been awarded with work underway.

“Sokoto-Badagry Road: Section 1 (Sokoto) has reached 40% completion, Section 2 (Kebbi) is at 60%, Section 3 (Ogun) is at 18%, and Section 4 (Oyo), recently awarded, is progressing well. Accelerated work has been ordered for the remaining sections.

“Trans-Sahara Trade Route: Spanning from Calabar through Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi and Nasarawa to Abuja, Section 1 (Ebonyi) has reached 15% completion, Section 2 (Benue) is mobilising, and other sections are undergoing engineering design,” Umahi said.

Traditional rulers, including the Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdurosheed Akanbi, and the Olufi of Gbongan, Oba Adetoyese Oyeniyi, commended President Tinubu for the approvals and urged residents to support Bola Oyebamiji as the next governor of Osun ahead of the August 15 election.

The National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Ajibola Basiru, disclosed that the Tinubu administration has constructed more than 800 road projects spanning over 5,000km nationwide.

He noted that national distributable allocations have risen from N586 billion in April 2023 to N2.5 trillion in June of this year, adding that there is no excuse for the poor state of more than 19 roads in Osogbo and Olorunda Local Government Areas alone.

The APC governorship candidate in Osun, Bola Oyebamiji, urged the electorate to continue their campaign efforts until instructed otherwise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, and the Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, encouraged voters to reciprocate the Federal Government’s developmental gestures by supporting the APC candidate in Osun.