Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The immediate past Commissioner for Works and Transportation in Osun State, Engr. Remi Omowaiye, has appealed to the Federal Ministry of Works and the management of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to embark on immediate rehabilitation of the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa expressway.
Omowaiye, in an interview with The PUNCH on Sunday, said during the festive period, commuters usually experience security challenges while travelling on the road,adding that its current poor state may further aggravate the security challenges.
Recalling how they maintained the road when he was in office, Omowaiye said the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa expressway was awarded for rehabilitation by the Buhari administration, only for paucity of funds to stall the execution.
According to him, the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola was constantly engaging in the rehabilitation of the Gbongan Junction-Akoda to make it motorable, stressing that lack of synergy between the current administration in Osun State and the Federal Government was having a negative impact on the road.
“I call on Hon. Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi and management of FERMA to kindly rehabilitate the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa expressway, as well as Gbongan Junction- Akoda. During the last administration, the Federal Ministry of Works awarded the reconstruction of the Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa road.
“However, because of paucity of funds, nothing serious has been done. Just a little portion had been done on that road. Because of the festive season we are entering, I appeal to the Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA to come to our rescue. Those roads are in a terrible state now.
“When I was in the office as the Commissioner for Works, we had synergy with the Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA. They constantly assisted us in rehabilitating the road. At a point, we also took it upon ourselves as government. We constantly rehabilitated and maintained Gbongan Junction to Akoda.
“It is unfortunate that the present government appears uninterested in that. Once it is the festive period, we usually have security challenges on that road and currently, the road is not in good shape. The security challenge may get worse during the festive season. As it is presently, the road is a threat to the commuters. That is why I am appealing to the Federal Government through its ministry and agency in charge to rehabilitate the road,” he said.
