Commuters and motorists plying the Ibadan-Oyo Road have lamented the deplorable condition of the federal highway, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and APC lawmakers representing Oyo State to urgently address the infrastructure challenges confronting the state.
The commuters, who expressed frustration over the deteriorating state of the road, said the situation had continued to cause inconvenience, delays and increased transportation costs for motorists and passengers travelling between Ibadan and Oyo.
The Oyo State Elite Group, while expressing concern over the condition of the road, faulted what it described as the failure of the President and APC lawmakers to adequately address critical infrastructure needs in the state.
The group in a statement signed by it’s presiden Segun Adewumi noted that Ibadan-Ilorin Road remained a major transportation corridor connecting communities and facilitating commercial activities within Oyo State and beyond.
It maintained that, but for the construction of the Ibadan-Iseyin Road by Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration, which has provided an alternative route for many commuters, road users would have faced even greater hardship navigating the deplorable Ibadan-Oyo Road.
The group said the alternative route had helped ease transportation challenges for motorists and commuters, particularly those travelling between different parts of the state, while stressing that the development underscored the importance of sustained investment in road infrastructure.
It expressed concern that despite the Federal Government’s recent approval of road projects worth N1.137 trillion across Oyo State, commuters were still grappling with the deplorable condition of the Ibadan-Oyo highway.
Among the road projects listed as recently approved by President Tinubu are the N276 billion dualisation of Ilorin-Ogbomoso Road and the N217 billion dualisation of the old alignment from Ijawaya to Federal Government College, Ilorin Road, with a spur to Akinmorin.
Others include the N265 billion reconstruction of Iseyin-Eruwa-Agbesi Road in Oyo and Kwara states; N110 billion for Ogbomoso-Oko-Illupu Road in Oyo and Osun states; and N98 billion for the construction of the 30-kilometre Idi-Araba-Ayede-Olodo Road in Oyo State.
Also listed are N82 billion for the rehabilitation of Igbeti Road, N74 billion for the construction of Igbeti-Soro-Kishi Road and N15.5 billion for the 13-kilometre Badeku-Jaiye Road.
However, the Oyo State Elite Group maintained that the inclusion of several roads in the approvals did not diminish the need for urgent intervention on the Ibadan-Oyo Road, which it said continued to pose serious challenges to commuters and businesses.
The group called on President Tinubu and the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently assess the condition of the highway and ensure that appropriate measures were taken to rehabilitate it.
It also urged APC lawmakers representing Oyo State at the National Assembly to intensify their efforts in drawing the attention of the Federal Government to the plight of their constituents and ensure that the road received the necessary attention.
The group stressed that federal lawmakers had a responsibility to effectively represent their constituencies by advocating for infrastructure development, improved road safety and the welfare of their constituents.
It further appealed to the relevant authorities to demonstrate a stronger commitment to the safety and convenience of road users by providing lasting solutions to the challenges confronting the Ibadan-Oyo corridor.
The Oyo State Elite Group said the rehabilitation of the road would ease the movement of people and goods, reduce transportation difficulties and support commercial activities across the state.
It urged the Federal Government to match its infrastructure approvals with timely implementation and ensure that the concerns of commuters using the Ibadan-Oyo Road were not overlooked
