Commuters, Residents Groan Over Bad State Of Osogbo/Okinni/Ilobu Road

 

By Solomon Odeniyi

Residents and commuters plying the Osogbo, Agunbelewo, Okinni, Ilobu, Ifon road, are currently feeling the agony of the deplorable state of the major road linking all the towns.

The road, a federal road served as roots to those coming from Ogbomosho, the Northern part of the country and to the state capital among others.

A resident of Bafoo junction, Adebayo who is sad on the fate of the area told our reporter that based on the importance of the road, it deserves more than what it is getting.

He said the road would have been a busy one and has the capacity of helping to build the economy of the state were it to be good, saying the road would bring back commercial activities in the area if rehabilitated.

Speaking of his experience, he said,  “I left  my job as a driver of a commercial bus due to the bad roads. Now I’m selling cement and the business is not moving the way it ought to. Those supplying me complain bitterly about the road and sometimes I pay more, just to have my goods delivered to me”, adding that it would bring back commercial activities in the area if constructed.

The Secretary of RTEAN, Olaniran Kayode said commercial drivers are now abandoning the road as a result of its sorry state, saying that many had also lost their cars plying the road.

He lamented that the few plying the route are always taking their vehicles to mechanics for repairs leaving them with little or nothing to make ends meet.

“The road is no longer worthy to be called a road.  It’s not only a death trap but a source of pain, suffering and worry to us all here. Our members are gradually leaving to other areas. They are always taking their vehicles to mechanics after each trip for checks after which a repair is done. This has discouraged many, and a lot of our men had lost their vehicles to the damages done by the derelict road and most of whom are now jobless.

“The few ones working are not paying the levy they are meant to pay for the development of the union; those paying represent a lower percentage and it will be inconsiderate to demand from them when they are having issues with their vehicles. They all have families to fend for, which most of them find difficult to do. We have been pleading with the few remaining to continue to bear in other not to make residents in the area feel more pangs of not having vehicles conveying them from one place to another.”

Pleading with the government, he said, ”We want the government to help us with the prompt reconstruction and completion of the road, especially the bridge. We appreciate them for the ongoing construction of the bridge, we want them to finish it on time so that we can stop being in pain. To me, it is like the construction should end right now. I am saying now because delay might be dangerous. We also want them to see to it expansion and construction of the road, as it is, we are in the dark about this.

The poor state of the road according to a community leader at Ilobu who gave his name as Baba Kekere has affected the economic activities of the area.

He added that they had done everything needed to get the government of the day to intervene but all has been to no avail.

He said, ”People here have received less attention from the government of the day. Severally, the governor has described Ilobu as his second home yet we have seen him intervene elsewhere, we haven’t seen much of him interms of dividends others have been enjoying.

“We all know this is a federal road but we need intervention from anywhere. I repair my car almost on a daily basis; farm produce can’t be taken to the market”.

The controller, Federal Ministry of Works, Engineer Kehinde urged the people of the area to exercise patient with them as efforts are on top gear to complete the project without further delay

He said, ”The people can’t deny that work is now ongoing at the Ojutu bridge. The contractor is back to site, what made them to stop was the high flood level. The administrative work needed to be done which include securing approval for demolition and compensation have to be resolved as well.  Very soon casting will begin but the necessary things must be done.

Our people must understand that road work is not something that should be rushed. So far we are progressing and we are assuring them that the time frame will be met.

He stressed that only 200 meters before and after the Ojutu bridge would be attended to for now as against the whole road being speculated.

The controller warned that there would be relocation of PHCN facilities and demolition of structures as the construction progresses in the said area.