Ondo Govt Fixes Akure-Owo Expressway Amidst Gridlock
Fidelis David in Akure
Ondo State Goverment says Motorists and other road users plying the Ogbese-Owo highway now have a relief following its quick intervention to fix the deplorable condition of the federal road.
The collapsed portions of the only major road which connects the Southern part of the country to the Northern part had been giving motorists tough time for a long time.
Until state government intervention, motorists, passengers and other road users were groaning over the deplorable state of the road as it had become a death trap amidst gridlock.
The state Commissioner for Lands and Infrastructure, Mr. Raimi Aminu, who led a team of engineers and other staff to the Ayede-Ogbese in Akure North Local Government explained that the federal government road had become impassable before the state government intervened to fix the road.
The commissioner said the ministry started work on the road two days ago and had since carried out major repairs with the fixing of big gulls, destilting of blocked bridge and drainages as well as other engineering works currently going on.
He said, “our Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, doesn’t believe in the principle that one road belongs to the federal government. He believes that it is our people that are using the road and he doesn’t want the people to suffer.”
“Though it is not too easy because the state doesn’t have enough money, and government has spent a lot on federal government roads without reimbursement, but the welfare and comfortability of the people matter most to our Governor. So, despite the fact that this road belongs to the federal government, he didn’t fold his arms and allow people to suffer.
“The Governor directed us to move in immediately and get a palliative measure. You can see the level of work done so far; vehicles are now moving freely and the people are happy.”
He, however called on the federal government to come to the aid of the state by permanently rehabilitating the road which he described as the shortest route to the northern part of the country.
Motorists including Mr Abdul-Raheem Saliu and Mr Bankole Sunday while expressing their pleasure over the repair, said before government’s intervention many vehicles had been damaged while several accidents had occurred on the bad portions of the road.
