A development expert and Chief Executive Officer of Global Development Initiatives (GDI), Engr. Michael Ale, has raised the alarm over the deplorable condition of federal roads in Ekiti State, warning that the situation is hurting rural communities, commercial activities and livelihoods.
Ale particularly expressed concern over the Ifaki–Ayegbaju – Oye axis, describing the route as a critical road corridor linking the South-West with Abuja and other parts of the country.
He said the continued neglect of the road could undermine economic activities and development, given its importance to the movement of people, agricultural produce and commercial goods.
The development expert spoke against the backdrop of recurring gridlocks and accidents along the axis, including the latest incident in which a truck reportedly fell across the Ifaki- Ayegbaju road on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, causing hours of traffic disruption.
The development came barely two weeks after a similar crisis on the same corridor reportedly paralysed movement for almost a week after large potholes and erosion created serious obstructions along the Oye–Ilupeju section.
According to Ale, the earlier incident resulted in commercial losses, emotional distress and prolonged delays for commuters, with some motorists forced to abandon the route and take longer alternative roads.
He also highlighted the presence of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) along the corridor, saying the poor condition of the road had made transportation particularly difficult for students and staff, also many small and medium enterprise that live on daily livelihood in the communities.
He alleged that avoidable accidents linked to the condition of the road had also claimed the lives of some students and members of the surrounding communities.
In a statement made available to journalists in Lagos on Thursday, Ale called on the Federal Government to urgently intervene and address the recurring crisis.
He said, “A very good road network is needed for viable commercial and development activities to thrive. The road network that we are talking about here links the western and eastern parts of the country to the Federal Capital Territory and provides the route for many commercial and goods-conveying trucks to ply.
“It is a very important road axis that must be well taken care of. Continued deplorable condition of that road will further destroy its economic viability and potentials for our dear country.”
Ale urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the Minister of Works to treat the rehabilitation of the affected Ekiti routes as an emergency.
He commended the Federal Government for ongoing interventions on major road projects, particularly the Ibadan–Ado-Akure axis and the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road, saying such projects would contribute significantly to economic growth and national development.
He, however, appealed to the government to extend similar urgent attention to federal roads in Ekiti, particularly the Ado-Ekiti–Ifaki–Ayegbaju-Oye axis.
Ale warned that unless urgent steps were taken to rehabilitate the road, recurring gridlocks, accidents and prolonged travel delays would continue to impose economic hardship on residents and commuters while undermining the development potential of communities along the corridor.
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Bad FG Roads Causing Pain, Destroying Rural Livelihoods in Ekiti — Ale
A development expert and Chief Executive Officer of Global Development Initiatives (GDI), Engr. Michael Ale, has sounded the alarm over the worsening condition of federal roads in Ekiti State, warning that the deteriorating infrastructure is increasingly crippling communities, businesses and rural livelihoods.
Ale singled out the Ado-Ekiti–Ifaki–Ayegbaju–Ilupeju corridor, describing it as a strategic economic route connecting the South-West to Abuja and other parts of Nigeria.
He said the route carries significant commercial traffic, including trucks conveying goods across the country, stressing that its continued neglect could have wider implications for Nigeria’s economic development.
His concerns followed another disruption on the road on Wednesday, September 9, when a truck reportedly fell across the highway at the Ayegbaju axis, triggering hours of gridlock and leaving motorists and commuters in distress.
The latest incident came barely two weeks after another major traffic crisis on the same corridor, when erosion and huge potholes reportedly brought movement to a standstill for almost a week around the Oye–Ilupeju section.
Ale said the repeated crises had exposed the economic and human cost of leaving the highway in its current condition.
He noted that motorists had previously spent days trapped on the road, while others were forced to turn back and take longer alternative routes, resulting in financial losses, delayed journeys and emotional trauma.
The development expert also expressed concern about the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), located along the route, saying students and staff were particularly vulnerable to the consequences of the road’s poor condition.
He further alleged that avoidable accidents on the axis had claimed the lives of students and members of neighbouring communities.
In a statement made available to journalists in Lagos on Thursday, Ale appealed directly to the Federal Government to treat the rehabilitation of the road as an emergency.
He said a functional road network was essential to sustaining commercial and development activities, particularly along a corridor linking the western and eastern parts of the country with the Federal Capital Territory.
Ale called on President Bola Tinubu to prevail on the Minister of Works to urgently rehabilitate the Ado-Ekiti–Ifaki–Ilupeju axis and end what he described as a recurring cycle of gridlock, accidents and economic losses.
While praising the Federal Government for work on the Ibadan–Ado-Akure axis and the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Road, he urged the administration not to overlook other critical federal roads in Ekiti.
He said fixing the affected roads would not only ease the suffering of commuters but also restore economic activity and unlock the development potential of communities along the corridor.
