Commuters and residents of Osun and Ondo states have decried the deplorable state of federal roads in the two states, calling for urgent government intervention.
In Osun, users of the Ilesa–Akure Expressway particularly lamented the Osu/Iwaraja corridor, describing it as a nightmare for motorists.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Sunday at Iloko Junction—one of the worst-hit portions of the road—a resident, Tomisin Olatunde, said the Federal Road Maintenance Agency had at different times patched bad spots, but such interventions provided only temporary relief.
With what we are experiencing now, only complete removal and replacement of the asphalt can solve the problem. The road stretches from Ile-Ife to Osu, Ilesa and Iwaraja, linking Osun and Ondo states. Between March and June this year, several serious accidents were recorded between Iloko Junction and the Road Safety office along the expressway,” Olatunde said.
A driver, Razaq Akinleye, who has plied the road for 15 years, said the last major reconstruction was done before the 2015 elections. He described the ongoing expansion works from Ilekki, Ilesa, as “too little compared to the magnitude of the challenge.”
“FRSC officers even filled some bad portions earlier this year to prevent accidents, but that can’t solve the problem. Beyond mere clearing, we need a total overhaul of the road. The patching by FERMA only lasts about three months before the spots go bad again.
The bad portions also give robbers and kidnappers an advantage since vehicles must slow down there,” Akinleye lamented.
Similarly, residents of communities along the Akure–Ado Ekiti Expressway in Ondo State appealed to both federal and state governments to expedite the ongoing reconstruction of the road.
The project, which commenced towards the end of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, has dragged on for years, worsening traffic congestion and making life difficult for residents. Before the project started, the road had become a death trap, with criminals exploiting its poor state to kidnap travellers for ransom.
During a recent inspection, Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced that the Akure–Ita-Ogbolu–Iju–Ado road would be redesigned and rebuilt with concrete.
But residents say the delay is unbearable. A native of the Iju community, Olamide Babalayo, urged the government to hasten the project.
“The last time I drove home was terrible. We commend the FG for taking action, but they should expedite the work. People in the community are suffering, especially during this rainy season,” he said.
