Weak and dilapidated roads no doubt dot the landscape of Oyo State begging for government’s attention while this pose enormous concerns to road users.
The bad roads which are replete in Ibadan, the state capital; Oke Ogun and Ibarapa zones have become so bad that they are practically unusable for motorists.
With the rainy season, motorists are groaning and having harrowing experiences plying a number of the roads.
Many of these roads have led to scores of accidents and deaths within the state.
Apart from hindering free flow of traffic, the bad roads also have security and economic implications.
Traveling on these roads especially, during the rainy season, you see vehicles break down, heavy-duty trucks overturn or get stuck in the mud while motorists disembark at such horrible spots to push crippled vehicles.
According to motorists, with government huge statutory allocation for road construction, repairs and maintenance, many Nigerian roads are still in appalling deplorable conditions, leaving road users in perpetual trauma and vulnerable to dangers.
Recently, residents of Oyo State from across 11 Local Governments in Ibadanland tasked Governor Seyi Makinde to hasten the commencement of the road repairs he promised them recently.
A resident of Ibadan said virtually all roads in Ibadan whether State or Local Government access roads have gone seriously bad while calling on government to provide palliatives on those roads if the 100km road repairs promised by the Governor would take time before its contract awards.
Other roads that needed government attention are the 16.7km Aawe-Apaara-Apetu-Emi Abata- Oba river- Iwo ate/ Ife Odan road.
The bad state of Ayegun-Oleyo Road, off Akala Express, Ibadan cannot be overemphasised
Also, the deplorable condition of the 3.5km Wofun-Kute-Jenriyin road likewise needed urgent intervention.
The road serves not less than 17 communities and it leads to Olorunda-Abaa and to Yawiri, in Akobo.
Makinde government needed to fix the Iresaapa-Iresaadu phase 2 road, Mowolowo-Iwo Ate phase 1 road and Ipeba to Ajaawa road construction site.
Residents of Orisunmibare Community in Oluyole Local Government (ward 10), Ibadan, recently appealed to Governor ‘Seyi Makinde to as a matter of urgency address the decay in school and road infrastructure in the community.
Elenusonso Community likewise expressed serious concern over the deplorable condition of the roads from Kolobo-Ayedade Road, Adejumo Road, Adejumo Road, Alawoye-Abese road, Agoro road, Gegelose road, Oke-Elenusonso, Elenusonso road, Odufemi-via Olorombo road, Mowunmi-Ajobiare-Ojuka road, Akotipopo-odo Eleranko road, Odemi to Ido local.
They said that the condition of the roads have made commuting a daily struggle for residents, contributing to vehicle damage, increased travel times, and heightened safety risks.
“Our roads are virtually impassable, turning daily commutes into a nightmare for our residents. The potholes and crevices are damaging our vehicles and creating dangerous driving conditions. Something must be done to address this situation before it becomes a full-blown disaster.”
Those plying Mokola-Iyaganku GRA-Ring road-Challenge road, residents of Eniosa off Arulogun-Igbo-Elerin road bemoaned the harrowing experience on the road.
Also, Mokola-Sango road especially at Uncle Joe area “is an eyesore and this area yearns for repairs.
On Monatan-Iyana Church road, a motorist described the Iyana-Church axis as the worst of all, maintaining that the State Government should order its repair without further delay.
Reacting ,Dotun Oyelade ,Commissioner for information said the State Government has completed 180 kilometers of roads across the state in four years adding it has awarded 38 roads, equaling 800 km across the state, out of which, 458 km are ongoing.
He also stated that it has earmarked N26.68 billion for the rehabilitation and asphaltic improvement of 12 Ibadan township roads.
According to Dotun Oyelade, ,the 12 roads which sum up to 84.75 kilometres in length are under lots one and two, the commissioner revealed.
“Lot one, comprising 10 roads, with a total of 70.45 kilometres, is awarded to Kopek Construction Company at a sum of N24.8 billion, for a duration of 12 months to complete the job.
“Lot two, which has two roads, with 14.30 kilometres, is awarded to RATCON Construction Company at a contract sum of N1.88 billion, for a six-month completion period,” he said.
The roads contracted to Kopek Company include: the 15.53-km UI-Bodija- Beere road; the 11.74-km Dugbe-Mokola–Sango-Trans Amusement Park junction and the 9.3km Molete-Oke-Ado-Oke Bola-Dugbe road.
The two projects awarded to RATCON Company include the 10.8km Bus Stop-Gate-Oje-Beere-Molete road and the 3.5km Oke-Adu-Ode-Aje-Aremo-Orita-Aperin road.
Apart from the Ibadan roads project, there is ongoing reconstruction of the 48 km Ido-Eruwa Road spanning Ido and Ibarapa East Local Government Areas. This major road project links the Ibadan and Ibarapa Zones of Oyo State. The Ido-Eruwa Road project was flagged off on 2 February 2023 by Governor Seyi Makinde and is estimated to be completed by Q4 2024.
Oyelade said governor Makinde, in fulfilling his promise to connect all five zones in Oyo State to promote economic activities and stem rural-urban migration, has now linked the Ibadan and Oke Ogun Zones, Oyo and Oke-Ogun Zones, Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun Zones, and the Ogbomoso and Oke Ogun Zones.
In Ibadan, Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency, OYSROMA has also begun the repairs of bad portions of some roads within the metropolis.
OYSROMA would also work on the drainage problem in the areas designated for repairs.
Residents of Zion Plaza – Olusoji Avenue linking Alao Akala Expressway, Ibadan are hopeful of relief as repair works has begun in earnest.
The agency plans to fix other bad portions of the roads in the state and work on the drainage problem in the Zion Plaza – Olusoji Avenue linking Alao Akala Expressway area of the state capital.
“We are looking at having an Oyo State with zero potholes, with clearly defined outcomes of smooth roads, that will aid our socio-economic development,” the agency said.