The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has commenced rehabilitation of some federal roads in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State following growing concerns over frequent road crashes and other incidents linked to the deplorable condition of the roads.
The intervention comes after maintenance activities in the axis were previously halted due to reported cases of kidnapping, banditry and other security challenges.
At the weekend, the agency kick-started rehabilitation works on the Kishi and Ago-Are/Saki roads through direct labour, drawing commendation from motorists and other road users who have long endured the poor state of the routes.
Some road users expressed optimism that the rehabilitation would help reduce the frequent crashes recorded on the roads and also lower the cost of transporting farm produce to markets across the region.
According to them, the deplorable condition of roads in Oke-Ogun has led to a sharp increase in transportation costs and the prices of commodities, while also contributing to the high rate of road accidents recorded in the area.
One of the residents, Abdulrahman Maruf Abiola, described FERMA’s intervention as a welcome development, noting that regular maintenance of roads in the area would significantly reduce accidents and other challenges faced by motorists and farmers.
He, however, appealed to FERMA and other relevant authorities at the federal and state levels to extend the rehabilitation to other bad portions of the Kishi–Igbeti road.
In his remarks, an official of FERMA in the Oyo State Field Office, Engr. Olutunde Adepoju, attributed the neglect of federal roads in the Oke-Ogun axis to insecurity which had earlier hindered maintenance efforts.
Adepoju noted that many of the roads currently undergoing repairs were constructed between 1979 and 1980 and had not been adequately maintained over the years.
He emphasised the need for a culture of regular maintenance, saying that timely intervention would prevent the deterioration of critical infrastructure.
Adepoju also acknowledged funding as a major challenge but expressed optimism that efforts by the National Assembly committees overseeing FERMA would lead to increased allocations for road maintenance.
He disclosed that the ongoing work in Kishi covers about 1,110 square metres, roughly equivalent to 111 metres of asphalt, describing the project as sectional repairs aimed at making the road motorable.
According to him, after the Kishi repairs, the team will proceed to the Ago-Are axis, which spans from Iseyin, where additional rehabilitation works will also be carried out to improve the condition of the corridor.
