Ekiti Community raises alarm over deteriorating Road

The residents of Ekiti State have expressed angst over the deplorable state of roads across the state, Newsflash Nigeria learnt.

For the past three weeks, for people in Ekiti State, travelling is not an enjoyable experience again as nearly all the federal and state roads are in a deplorable state, constituting grave danger, causing a series of avoidable accidents, long hours on the road for short journeys and vulnerability to kidnaps as kidnappers now take advantage of the failed portions along these roads to pounce on travellers.

These worst roads that have been highlighted by people include the Ado Ekiti-Akure road, Aramoko-Igede road, Ado Ekiti-Ikare road, Ado-Aramoko-Itawure road, Ado-Ifaki–Ido Ekiti road, Ikere- Ise road, Ikere- Igbara Odo road and Ifaki–Oye Ekiti–Ikole–Omuo road.

Others are Aseigbe-Ijan-Ijesa Isu-Ikole road, Ado-Ilawe road, Omuo–Kabba road stretching to some local council areas in Kogi, Omuo-Oke road and Agbe–Ikare road which have been abandoned for years.

The condition of these roads has been a source of worry to residents and travellers, who repeatedly witness tragic accidents and are forced to pay high fares because motorists claim they spend more money to maintain their vehicles due to the state of the roads.

Last week, the bridge links between the Ilawe community and Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti capital, collapsed after heavy rainfall in the area.

The bridge, which caved following downpours, was weakened by persistent erosion, overflow of water, as well increasing movements of heavy-duty vehicles along the road.

However, the Federal Road Safety Corps Sector (FRSC) Commander, Ekiti State, Olusola Joseph, had announced the closure of the road stretch between Igede Ekiti and Efon Alaaye in Ekiti State for two weeks owing to the rehabilitation of the road.

Consequently, Joseph said, “There will be total blockage for heavy-duty trucks at Iwaraja junction, while smaller vehicles will be allowed to pass through Iwaraja – Efon/ Ilesha-Efon route.

Portions of the critical road stretch, which links Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital to other states including Osun, Ogun, Oyo and Lagos states, had been in deplorable conditions and making motorists, especially truck and bus drivers spend nights on the road.

The FRSC Corps Commander, in a statement titled, ‘Notice of road blockage and traffic diversion from Iwaraja Junction’, stated, “As from September 20, 2022, vehicles coming from Ado Ekiti to Ibadan or Lagos should divert at Igede Ekiti and follow Igede-Igbara Odo-Igbara Oke -Akure.

 “Those coming to Ado should take Efon – Okemesi – Ijero -Ido – Ado Ekiti. Vehicles coming through Ifaki Ekiti should divert at Ifaki Ekiti junction and follow Ifaki – Ido – Ijero – Ikoro – Okemesi – Efon Alaaye. This is only for smaller vehicles as reported by the site engineer for rehabilitation to be carried out on the identified portion of the road”.

Joseph, however, alerted the public to the risk associated with Efon -Ikogosi route, saying, “It is hilly with slopes, bends and encroachment of thick vegetation into the road making it dangerous and prone to road traffic crashes.

“The possible and safe route is Efon – Okemesi and Ifaki – Ijero-Okemesi – Iwaraja/Ilesa,” the sector commander said.

Meanwhile, the Okemesi community has notified the General Public, the Government and commuters who are considering using the Okemesi road network as an alternative to accessing neighbouring States, Towns and Villages of impending dangers if certain measures are not put in place as a matter of urgency.

In a statement released to newsmen by Comr. Abraham O. Adeleye ( CNA), the National Publicity Secretary of the Federation of Okemesi Improvement Unions, said the passage of heavy-duty vehicles is not advisable particular along Okemesi- Osun State borders and suburbs to prevent avoidable accidents.

He said “It has become imperative to notify the General Public, the Government and commuters who are considering using the Okemesi road network as an alternative to accessing neighbouring States, Towns and Villages of impending dangers if certain measures are not put in place as a matter of urgency.

“I am directed by the Federation of Okemesi Improvement Unions national leadership ably led by Mr Nathaniel Olaoye on behalf of the Owa Ooye in council and the good people of Okemesi Ekiti that passage of heavy-duty vehicles is NOT ADVISABLE in particular along Okemesi- Osun State borders and suburbs so as to prevent avoidable accidents.

“The bridges linking Okemesi with Esa-Oke & Imesi-Ile require patience and good driving skills by cars in order not to run into the ditch created by erosion and years of neglect.

“Should an articulated vehicle attempt to pass the same route, that could mean a fatal accident and a total collapse of the bridge.

“The ancient bridge on River Osun linking Ijero to Okemesi is suffering the same fate and the rate of vibration recent is alarming. We would not want our community to be mentioned for any mishap hence the need for this.

“We call on government at all levels to come to our aid and fix all damaged portions of the roads so that we are not cut off from the world as the effect on our agrarian economy would have multiplier effects”, he said.

Newsflash Nigeria learnt that the Federal Executive Council had in 2019 approved the rehabilitation of the 36 kilometres Ado-Ekiti–Igede-Aramoko-Itawure road for about N14 billion.

The Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola in a statement said the contract which was awarded to Messrs Deux Projects Limited/Hitech Construction Company Limited was expected to be completed in 30 months but nothing happening on the road.

Also, the dualization of the Ado-Ekiti – Akure road which was approved in early 2020 by the Federal Government to Dantata & Sawoe contracting firm for a little over N22 billion had been abandoned with little or nothing happening on the road.

Also, a driver Kunle Olatunji, lamented that the situation of the road has made many of his colleagues ignore plying the Ado-Akure road in view of the gridlock for hours and the effect on the vehicles. He wondered why the road which was awarded in 2020 has not witnessed any significant work considering the fact that the two states are being governed by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with the Federal government.

“The road is the worst at the moment and I can tell you that the journey (Ado-Akure) which should be about an hour is now up to five hours due to the deplorable condition of the road. After a series of outcries, this road was awarded two years ago with much publication in the media and now you can see the situation. This is embarrassing and sad,” Olatunji stated.

The Ekiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, during a recent interview, lamented the slow pace of work on the Ado-Akure dualisation road by the contractor, adding that he, alongside his Ondo state counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu, had planned to source for funds to work on the road but was frustrated by the Federal Government.

Fayemi stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration threatened the Ekiti and Ondo States over the Akure-Ado Ekiti road project.

Fayemi was reacting to the visit of the Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, to the Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, concerning the project.

Following the visit, Adegoroye had urged Fashola to expedite action on the commencement of the Akure-Ado Ekiti Expressway dualisation project.

The governor stated that they had demanded clearance to do the road and toll it but the FG refused.

He said, “I have spent the last three years on the subject of this road. I finally got them to award the dualisation in November 2019 at the cost of N30b. To date, the contractor has only received N2b.

“I then got money from the AfDB for the road through Adesina, and the FG refused to cede the road to Ondo and Ekiti State and threatened us there will be no refund if we went ahead and tampered with their road.

 “In the end, we transferred the money to them and even helped them follow up with AfDB.

“Up till now, they can’t access the money because they have refused to follow AfDB procurement standards. After that, got them to put in Sukuk money but the contractor has not been able to access this.

“We are now pursuing NNPC to include the road in their new tax credit roads they are funding, but we are still on it.

“There’s no month Fashola and I do not speak about this road for the past three years. It has even caused friction between the two of us. If we had been given clearance to do the road and toll it, we offered to do that, but the FG refused.

“I wish Demola luck on his new venture. Senator Alasoadura did the same and even cried at FEC on account of the road. Maybe he will succeed where we have not.

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