……The nightmare of Akure- Itaogbolu –Iju – Ikere road users
For residents of Akure,the Info state capital, a journey of just ten minutes to a nearby town has for the past few years turned into a nightmare.
The 26km journey between Akure, the Ondo State capital to Ikere in Ekiti State is supposed to take barely 10 minutes going by the estimation of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. But now it’s taking hours, days or entire cancelation, depending on the state of the terrible portion of the road just before Itaogbolu going to Iju.
The diversion of heavy duty trucks to the route in recent months has further worsen the state of the road with trailers getting stuck in the mud for days while sometimes long queues of those waiting to pass extending from Itaogbolu to Iju.
The road was not used to heavy duty trucks until now. Those congesting the route are said to be coming from the North/Abuja, who were denied access to their traditional route at Akungba axis by the Adekunle Ajasin University students. The students were said to have placed embargo on the trucks over frequent killing of their colleagues.
Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had in March 22, 2019 confirmed that the Federal Government planned to dualise the Akure-Ikere carriage way same year, claiming that the FG had completed the design for project.
Akeredolu during a thank-you visit to Ifedore, Akure North and Akure South Local Government Areas in Ondo Central Senatorial District where his party won 23 of the 26 seats in the House of Assembly election said the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, had given his assurance that the contract would be awarded before the end of the first term.
Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi_Akeredolu
He said,”By the time this is done, you can leave here and work in Akure conveniently and this will decongest Akure and everybody can come and live here.
“The drive to Akure will be just 10 minutes.”
But three years after this optimism, the condition of the road is worse than it had ever been.
Babatunde Fashola
The contractor that got the contract to construct the road, Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company was recently quoted to have assured the Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that it would commence work last month (September 2021).
Record showed that the road project awarded in July 2020 for N22.7 billion was one of those being tracked by the ICPC in Ondo State, under the third phase of its Constituency and Executive project tracking, led by Mr David Oluwole.
– The 26km journey between Akure, the Ondo State capital to Ikere in Ekiti State is suppose to take barely 10 minutes going by the estimation of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu. But now it’s taking hours, days or entire cancelation, depending on the state of the terrible portion of the road just before Itaogbolu going to Iju.
No road for now
The ICPC has taken it upon itself the responsibility to track high profile Federal Government projects along with lawmakers’ constituency projects going by the past experiences of multi-billion Naria contract awards without execution.
Truck fell on its side at the bad portion of the road
There is still no sign of the presence of the contractor on the road in October 2021 with travelers going through hectic time when there is rain and the trucks are blocking off incoming and outgoing vehicles.
Long queue of trucks waiting till when road will be passable
Some of the guests including the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who planned to attend the burial of Late Madam Julianah Ademolahan Adeleye, at Iju on October 1 and 2, 2021 had to turn back at the bad portion of road by Samcha Quarry before Itaogbolu. Some of the guests left their vehicles, trekked through the bad portion of the road and rode on commercial motorbikes to Iju while many travelers abandoned the road completely and embarked on a merry-go-round journey through Igbara Oke, Igbara Odo to link Iju through Ikere.
Dr Augustine Etafo, the road contractor’s site agent was recently quoted as saying that the project was delayed because the mobilisation by the Federal Government was not forthcoming.
Business booming for people nearby
He said that the rainy season and interference by the communities also hindered the start of work.
Locaal boysturning the tragedy to business, collecting money to get vehicles passed
“We have commenced skeletal work and preliminary work. Palliative work has also started, hopefully, full work will commence this September,” he said.
But this is October and travelers and other stakeholders are sweating and waiting for when the work will really commences.
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