Oyo lawmaker urges FG to construct pedestrian bridges on Lagos-Ibadan expressway

Pointing to several instances of people dying from crossing the road, the Oyo State House of Assembly has asked the Federal Government to construct pedestrian bridges at some sections of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway that fall within the Ibadan metropolis.

Contained in a motion anchored by member representing Oluyole state constituency, Honourable Waheed Akintayo, at plenary on Wednesday, the Assembly said the expansion of the highway to three lanes on both sides came with wanton hit-and-run incidents leading to several deaths.

The motion identified areas like Felele, Soka, Sanyo, Boluwaji and Academy as hotspots where hit-and-run incidents are mostly recorded and lives lost.

Parts of the motion read: ”Aware that the reconstruction of the 127.6km includes the upgrading of the erstwhile narrow highway comprising of two lanes on both side to a more expansive highway of three lanes in both directions to make travelling easy for its users has also made pedestrian crossing a herculean mission, the highway has become a death trap for residents as precious lives are being untimely taken on a daily basis by impatient drivers.

“Mr Speaker, Honourable colleagues, attempts to cross the dual carriage way have become a sort of Russian roulette.
“The Toll Gate – Ojoo axis of the highway which is the busiest sections of the project falls within a built-up area of Ibadan metropolis thereby hampering the economic interactions of the people.

Strategic areas like Felele, Soka, Sanyo, Boluwaji and Academy have over time become densely populated with a lot of economic activities at both sides of the highway.”

Another prayer in the motion was the need to light up the aforementioned areas which were identified as hotspots to rob commuters and perpetrate various kinds of criminalities.

In the motion, Akintayo and co- sponsors, Honourable Dawud Olalere (Ibadan Northwest), Honourable M. O. Abiola (Akinyele 1), also tasked state and federal lawmakers covering the Toll-Gate to Ojoo axis to erect solar-powered overhead lights as part of their constituency projects.

After inputs of lawmakers, Speaker of the Assembly, Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin, in his ruling, tasked the Oyo State Ministry of Public Works and Transport to also implement its own measures to curtail incidences of deaths on the highway.

Wednesday’s plenary also saw the Assembly ask governor Seyi Makinde to declare every August 20 as Isese day (day for Traditionalists).

Leader of the House, Honourable Sanjo Adedoyin, Honourable Oyekola Gbenga of Atiba constituency and Honourable Adebayo Babajide of Ibadan North 2 constituency made case for Isese Day in a motion presented at plenary.

They argued that setting aside the day would help uphold indigenous culture and traditions and would be in satisfying the long yearning of traditionalists in the state for the August 20 declaration.

Lawmakers unanimously spoke in favour of the motion noting that some of them even during campaign also seek for votes from traditionalists.

Meanwhile, the Assembly also announced the reinstatement of the suspended chairman of Kajola local government, Mr Salimon Borikansunwon.

Borikansunwon had been suspended over allegations of misconduct and misappropriation of local government funds.

Presenting the report of the adhoc committee that concluded investigation into the allegation, Honourable Peter Ojedokun of Ibarapa North/Central charged the reinstated chairman to henceforth conduct an all-inclusive government.