Residents of Osun State have expressed dissatisfaction with the poor condition of some roads in Osogbo, the state capital.
The residents said the deplorable state of the road had made it difficult for them to carry out their daily businesses with ease.
They urged the state government to rise to its responsibilities by providing good and accessible roads for its citizens.
Some of the deplorable roads mentioned by the residents were Ofafedo Road, Owode-Ede Market Road, Ogo-Oluwa roaRoadnd Oke-Baale Road, among others.
A resident of the Ofatedo area, Yusuf Akewusola, lamented that the state government had abandoned the only road linking the area, leaving residents to face hardship.
Akewusola said many tenants and landlords had relocated from the area due to the deplorable state of the road.
“The state government should know that Ofatedo cannot be put aside when it comes to socio-economic and political roles, as what goes around also comes around,” he said.
Also, Emmanuel Alabi, a civil servant residing in the Apete/Odomburo-Oloba area in Owode-Ede, said the major road from Owode-Ede market junction to the main town which usually witnessed heavy vehicular movement was full of potholes.
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Alabi said, “Although there are ongoing road constructions in some parts of the state where few motorists hardly pass, the ones with heavy vehicular movement due its economic importance and other benefits are being neglected.”
Medinatu Adabanija, a businesswoman in the Oke-Baale area, said the deplorable state of the road was affecting her business and making life unbearable for residents.
Adabanija said community leaders had made several efforts to draw the state government’s attention to the road, but with no success.
Rasheed Fadunsin, a resident of the Kobo area, said the road from Joy Filling Station to Ayegbami-Aganga Road was in a terrible state and needed urgent attention.
He said Okada riders, tricycles and minibus operators always avoid carrying passengers to the area due to the bad condition of the road.
A tricycle operator, Kola Abass, noted that the poor condition of roads in the state capital was affecting operators’ livelihood and daily income.
Mr Abass said: “What I make on a daily basis is nothing to write home about. I make little or no profit, and once there is a sign of rain, all operators will have to retire for the day because most roads will be slippery.”
In his reaction, Bello Bashir, permanent secretary, Ministry of Works, said the government had mapped out strategies to ensure the rehabilitation of all bad roads.
Mr Bashir said the state government had completed the construction of some major roads across the state, and some were ongoing, while others would be attended to.
He said most of the roads mentioned by residents would be looked into and that drastic measures were in place to ensure they were in good condition.
The permanent secretary also said the state government would soon start another road reconstruction, rehabilitation, and construction project in addition to the ongoing road projects.
(NAN)
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
