Osun, Nigeria — The Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adesuyi Haastrup, has called on the Federal Government and concerned Nigerians to urgently address the worsening condition of the Gbongan-Ife-Ilesa-Akure road.
Raising concerns over the increasing rate of accidents, Oba Haastrup emphasized the need for the road’s inclusion in the 2025 supplementary budget. He noted that the naira’s depreciation against the dollar had significantly inflated construction costs, contributing to prolonged delays in rehabilitation.
The monarch stressed that the poor state of the highway not only hampers tourism and business investments in Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo states but also endangers the lives of commuters, including students from various higher institutions along the corridor.
To mitigate immediate risks, Oba Haastrup suggested that a portion of the allocated funds be used for urgent palliative repairs. Sharing a personal encounter, he recounted how he once lost two bulletproof tyres and rims to a deep pothole on the same route before his installation as Owa Obokun.
The traditional ruler revealed that he had previously alerted the Federal Emergency Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) about the deteriorating state of the road. He further warned that the dilapidated highway had become a hotspot for kidnappings and armed robbery, urging swift intervention to safeguard lives and promote economic activities in the affected regions.
By Taiwo Olatinwo |February 20th, 2025.
Discover more from DnewsInfo
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
