The award of the contract to expand the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road, abandoned 25 years ago, was greeted with applause following the Federal Government’s effort. But checks by TUNDE BUSARI who recently toured the site of the project raise concerns on the viability of the project.
Standing beside the popular Academy interchange on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was a billboard announcing the construction of the long abandoned 45-kilometre Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
When the board was erected on the spot months ago, the joy of the public knew to know bounds as drivers, commercial motorcycle operators and petty traders doing business at the junction, poured encomiums on the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.
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They unanimously submitted that their long observed prayers had finally been answered and looked forward to the completion of the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road which was first promised to be dualized in 2013 by the then Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Olajumoke Akinjide.
Nigerian Tribune gathered that the minister had made the promise on the occasion of merit award conferred on her and seven other indigenes of Ibadan by the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII) where she assured that the project would be executed to halt the hardship faced by the residents.
Till the government Akinjide was serving expired two years later, there was no sign that the promise would be respected as nothing was heard from government quarters afterwards.
But since the billboard emerged on the expressway, the work had started. Just about five minutes’ drive to Ona Ara Local Government is enough to see the progress of the project with houses on both sides of the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road being pulled down for the expansion.
Our reporter had a fair share of the pains which the dwellers of about 15 communities on that road endure on a daily basis. The communities include Olunde-Olomi, Ayegun, Arojeka, Apadi, Olode, Olojuoro, Akinbade, Agbeja, Okehinde and Bvonowen.
Though a section of the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road from Ibadan was tarred during the administration of the late governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina between May 29, 1999 and May 29, 2003, 85 percent of it is in a deplorable state.
A community leader, Alhaji Biliaminu Adio recalled the excitement of the community when the government of Lam Adesina was laying asphalt on the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road, saying they had thought that end had finally come to the suffering of the people in the villages who found it difficult to bring farm product to Ibadan.
“But after Lam left office, the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road was left to deteriorate. Since then, we have accepted our faith and moved on with our lives. If we don’t see the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road constructed in our lifetime, maybe our grandchildren would witness it,” the extremely unhappy septuagenarian told our correspondent.
Recently, a Lagos-based construction firm which is contracted to execute the construction project issued a release in which it updated the public on the contract involving five sections that connect Oyo and Ogun states.
The Project Manager of the company, Ade Adedeji explained the details of the work, including the construction of a major 45-metre length bridge at Olomi, a bridge which also is 14 metres wide. Adedeji, in the said release, also gave a clue on likely challenge envisaged in the course of construction.
“Barring all odds, the project, which has completion period of two years, will be delivered as expected. The major challenge will come from the villagers but so far, we have enjoyed their support,” he said.
Despite the reservation, he assured that the work would be delivered within the stipulated timeframe with a view to breathing life to the route and improving economic activities. But when our correspondent toured the route last Saturday, the finding was a contrast to the optimism expressed by the manager.
Though a few miles after a village known as Bvonowen in Ijebu North Local Government Area, clearing of bush had commenced with two caterpillars parked at different spots of the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road, the pace of work has not impressed the villagers.
One Jonathan Adamu Jonathan, a Benue State indigene, said he could not accurately say the last time he saw the caterpillars working on the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road. Jonathan, who works as labour in a farm, acknowledged the seriousness of workers in the beginning but lamented the current state at the site.
“I can’t say what might have happened but when work like this stops like that, there must be a reason. But we may not know the reason. You may move closer to one of the caterpillars and guess the last time it worked,” the outspoken dark man said.
Remarks by other villagers were not totally different from that of Adamu. At Akinbade village, a woman, Mrs Airat Salami, said all she could remember about the project was the time construction workers were measuring lands, telling them that work would soon start on the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road.
“But that was the last we saw of them. I am even surprised that you came here all the way from Ibadan for the work we don’t see,” he said.
A policeman, whom our correspondent met and engaged at one of the check4points at Ayegun end of the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road, offered a clue on what might have delayed active work on the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road. The ebony black, who did not want his name in print, suspected paucity of fund as one of the reasons and also cited alleged sharp practices involved in securing contract jobs in Nigeria.
While he was not specific, he said he did not believe a claim of completing the project in two years. “I am happy that you are just returning from there. I am also happy that you crossed the Oyo-Ogun State boundary. Then you must have seen the enormity of job to be done on that road. It is our collective joy if the Ibadan-Ijebu Igbo road is completed on time but, with the pace of work we have seen so far, it is doubtful,” he said dismissively.
A project analyst, Mary Ikande, argued that only a few of the projects being implemented in Nigeria get completed on time, pointing out that most times work gets stretched beyond the planned duration.
As a result of poor planning, she added, it tends to take much more energy, money and time to realize the plans being set out, suggesting that officials responsible for carrying out the projects often miscalculate all that it takes.
According to her, Federal Ministry of Works is responsible for the design, construction, rehabilitation and planning of road networks, including distribution of large contracts throughout the country and controls the execution of projects.
“In the construction industry in Nigeria, there are many examples of projects that have been swiftly launched but never completed; most of the time the contractors do not even return to them. This raises an important question – what is the point of starting these projects in the first place only to waste money and energy? These situations are especially seen in government projects because there is corruption and political problems in administrative apparatus,” she noted.
In spite of public indifference, Adedeji disclosed that the project is under the supervision of the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, adding, “barring all odds, the project, which has completion period of two years, will be delivered as expected. The major challenge will come from the villagers but so far, we have enjoyed their support.”
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