The Oyo State House of Assembly has called for the Zonal Director of the Federal Highways Maintenance Agency, FERMA, to answer to the state legislature and explain the failure to complete the rehabilitation work on some Federal roads in Ogbomoso and other parts of the state.
The call, which was jointly sponsored by Hon Sanjo Adedoyin (Ogbomoso South) and Hon Bimbo Oladeji (Ogbomoso North), was made by the House at its Tuesday sitting.
The Oyo State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon Adebo Ogundoyin remarked on the need to investigate the growing deterioration of federal roads in the state and mentioned how unfortunate it was that most Federal roads in the state are no longer motorable; therefore summoning the leader of the Federal Agency to appear before the plenary on July 15.
According to Ogundoyin, the summon is to make FERMA speed up the work on the ongoing road reconstruction across the state, and also to urge the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to complete the Ogbomoso part of the Ibadan-Oyo-Ogbomoso-Ilorin dual-carriage Expressway.
“We cannot overestimate the importance of good roads in any Community. They link cities, towns, and communities as well as ease transportation of people and goods. I think the Federal Ministry and the Maintenance Agency need to do more to put their roads in good shape,” he said.
Hon Adedoyin and Hon Oladeji spoke out against the interminable delays in the completion of the Ogbomoso part of the Expressway connecting the south and north, as well as other ongoing federal highways in the town.
Hon Adedoyin, who read the motion, said that this has enabled articulated vehicles to use the Ipeba-Ajaawa road to connect Oja-Igbo and then to the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital road en route Ilorin.
He said it was the usual scenario since rehabilitation work on the Apake-LAUTECH Teaching Hospital route, as well as the road from Takie Square to Caretaker, progress is both sluggish, and traffic has been diverted as a result.
“Aware that the delay in the completion of Ogbomoso section of the Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Ilorin dual carriage Expressway and the deplorable condition of Oyo/Ogbomoso road has made motorists including heavy-duty vehicles to use the feeder roads as their alternative routes. The diversion has resulted in massive destruction of the feeder roads, electrical poles, cables, and several culverts.” Hon Adedoyin said.
In another remark, Hon Bimbo Oladeji mentioned that the completion of all Federal highways in Ogbomoso had been long delayed and that the poor condition of the Oyo/Ogbomoso expressway had resulted in the deaths of motorists due to accidents.
“We are tired of the slow pace of work on the dual carriage expressway. We waste hours on the Oyo/Ogbomoso road because of deep holes, gullies, and heavy traffic. Not to mention daily armed robbery attacks on motorists. FERMA and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing should come to our rescue urgently” Hon Oladeji stressed.
The motion also advised Governor Seyi Makinde, through the Public Works Department and the Works departments in other LG and LCDAs, to help in the restoration of some of Ogbomosho’s feeder and access roads, which had been damaged as a result of the diversion’s increased traffic volume.
Other lawmakers relayed their dissatisfaction with the state or federal highways in their regions in a variety of ways.
They said that most Federal highways in the state appear to have been discarded, and they questioned FERMA and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing’s activity in the state.
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