Motorists and commuters plying the Akure/Ado-Ekiti highway in Ondo State have been lamenting the deplorable condition of the federal road. In this piece, HAKEEM GBADAMOSI reports the unsettling experiences of residents, motorists and commuters and the socioeconomic impacts of the road.
The Akure-Ado-Ekiti road used to be one of the best routes in the South-West, but the once adjudged shortest route to Ekiti State from the Ondo State capital, Akure, has turned a nightmare for motorists and commuters plying the road. The highway which is one of the federal roads, linking Ondo and Ekiti states and less than 40 kilometers in stretch, has become almost impassable with commercial drivers describing the road as a deathtrap. This development has affected the economic activities of many of the communities and villages along the route, but it appears the relevant authorities are not showing enough concern.
Due to the state of the road, transporters who are in the business of conveying goods and passengers now charge exorbitant amounts, while some of the drivers have changed their routes over fear of being kidnapped.
In 2019, the people of the two states heaved a sigh of relief when the governors of the two states disclosed that they had come to an agreement to construct and dualise the Akure-Ado-Ekiti road, and only awaiting the approval of the Federal Government on the project.
The Ondo State governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, while speaking on behalf of the two governors, said the road project would be financed with a loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and assured that the project would take off immediately after the presidential approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). He equally disclosed that there would be collection of toll after the rehabilitation of the highway.
According to him, the decision to collect toll on the road was premised on the need to make its maintenance easier and to refund the AfDB loan, stating that the road after completion is expected to ease transportation of people between Akure an Ekiti.
But some 15 months after the approval of the N22billion contract, no work has been carried out on the road, despite the contractor moving some equipment to site. This led to a protest by the residents of the communities along the axis over lack of commitment on the part of the contractor to fix the road. The residents blocked the highway for several hours, condemning the lackadaisical attitude of the contractor, the Federal Government and the governments of the two states towards the project.
According to the protesters, the state of the road has continued to aid the activities of criminals engaging in kidnappings and killings while many lives have been lost to accidents.
The residents under the aegis of Great Patriot for Better Initiative (GPBI), led by Mr. Niyi Majofodun, called the Federal Government to revoke the project from the contractors as a matter of urgency, saying: “It is on record that killings, kidnappings, robbery, rape and terrible motor accidents have become uncontrollable on the Akure–Ado Ekiti road.
“We cannot afford to die in silence; we want to strongly appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to please look into this matter as a matter of urgency. We also express our displeasure at the manner in which the Director-General of BPP awarded the road.
“Mr. President should not allow his name to be dragged into the mud on this matter since he has performed his constitutional right by awarding the contract and subsequently mobilising the contractors. Therefore, he must ensure his directive is complied with and carried out.
“The contract should be revoked to save the lives of the road ushers. The road is expected to be delivered within 30 months of award and up till now no sophisticated equipment is seen on ground.”
However, the hope of residents of the communities along the highway were dashed some few weeks ago when the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, visited the two states but failed to ply the road to Ekiti State capital from Akure airport as the residents believed the visit would have afford them the opportunity to interact with Osinbajo on the deplorable state of the road.
But Osinbajo who landed at the Akure airport boarded a standby chopper which conveyed him and some other top government officials, including the state deputy governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, to attend the Ekiti State Investment and Economic Summit in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
A resident of Itaogbolu in Akure North Local Government Area, Jacob Akinkunmi, said the action of the government, at the state and federal levels, showed that they are not serious about the rehabilitation of the Akure-Ado-Ekiti road and not moved by the plight of the common man.
Many of the commuters who spoke to the Nigerian Tribune during a tour of the road, said driving through the road was a real nightmare as it was also observed that several vehicles were not only noted to have broken down, but hoodlums had taken over the road, taking advantage of its poor state.
Some commuters who spoke with our correspondent said the deplorable condition of the road has continued to cause them untold hardship, just as they called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, come to their rescue, saying the road is gradually becoming an embarrassment to the two states.
One of the motorists, Mrs. Dayo Adesina said: “We don’t seem to have a government in Ondo and Ekiti states; we don’t even have government in Nigeria. Can you imagine the state of this road and the officials of the two states are turning a blind eye to it? I pass through this horrible experience everyday of the week because I work in Ikere-Ekiti as a teacher. The fear of being kidnapped is another thing and the kidnappers have become kings around here, demanding ransom everyday for the release of their victims.
“Our leaders lack the fear of God. How much would it cost them to help us fix the road? We are appealing to both Ondo and Ekiti states and the Federal Government to come to our aid in order to fix this road.”
Alade Sunday, a mechanic said “I have been here countless times to repair vehicles damaged because of the state of the road. Vehicle owners cannot dare leave their cars here, unless they want to meet the carcass the next day.
“This route is turning to a lawless area; you can be kidnapped, raped, tortured and robbed. The government says it is fighting insecurity and when you have a road that is as bad as this one, how would you fight insecurity? If you stay too long here, those armed men will come out from nowhere and take advantage of the bad portion here and kidnap anyone. The most annoying thing is that policemen are always on this road to collect bribes from commercial drivers. If they really want to fight insecurity, let them fix this road first; that’s my opinion.”
A commuter, Seun Igbalaye, said he was forced to relocate to Ado-Ekiti because of the hardship of plying the road. According to him, “I used to travel daily from Akure to Ado-Ekiti before now; I was a victim of kidnappers. I had to limit my travelling to only weekends. I am returning to Akure today and will be in Ado-Ekiti by Monday. This road is nothing but a deathtrap that needs government’s attention.”
A top official of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who preferred anonymity, said many lives have been lost to various accidents because of the state of the road. He said armed men take advantage of the pothole-ridden road to attack motorists and passengers, dispossessing them of their valuables and most times abducting them.
“Some passengers and motorists have lost their lives to kidnappers while some have been guests to them, but not without parting with substantial amounts of money. When you move at a slow pace because of the potholes, armed men shoot at the tyres of the car, causing accidents, taking some people as hostage. It is sad that a journey of 25 minutes from Akure to Ado-Ekiti now lasts for about one hour.”
He said that the deplorable state of the road has forced many commercial drivers to reduce their daily shuttle drastically. “The road is so bad that we are held up in gridlock for close to three hours, limiting the number of trips we make daily. Apart from this, our vehicles are being damaged on daily basis. Government should come to our aid by repairing the road.
“The distance from Igoba area of Ondo State to Ikere-Ekiti is so bad to the extent that motorists spend close to about three hours in gridlock. Passengers can no longer predict when they will reach their destinations while traveling on this road.”
Also a lawmaker representing Akure North Local Government in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akindele Adeniyi urged the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the Akure/Ado-Ekiti highway, noting that drivers find it difficult to ply the road.
The chairman of the House Committee on Works said “I challenge the Federal Government to wake up from its slumber to rehabilitate the road before people are daily inconvenienced. A journey which is supposed to be 30 minutes from Akure to Ado –Ekiti is now one hour as a result of the poor condition of the road.”
He however appealed to the Federal Government to hand over rehabilitation of the road to competent contractors.
Also speaking on behalf of the community, a traditional ruler in Ondo State, the Okiti of Iju, Oba Amos Farukanmi, urged the Federal Government to repair the Akure/Ado-Ekiti road which he noted is in a deplorable condition. The traditional ruler said the road has become a deathtrap for motorists and other road users.
However, attempts to speak with the Federal Controller of the Ministry of Works, in Ondo State, were not successful but an official of the ministry who spoke on condition of anonymity said the contractor handling the project would soon return to site, saying the ministry was aware of the state of the road, adding that remedial works on it would soon commence.
He attributed the slow pace of work on the road to the rain, but assured that the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) will soon embark on palliative repairs to ease movement of vehicles on the ever busy road after the rains. He however cautioned motorists and commuters to exercise caution and patience while plying the road.
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