TheCable

BY OLUSANYA ANJORIN

As the New Year opens open like a new hibiscus flower and the tentacles of road construction are spreading even wider in the country, allow me to draw the attention of the Honorable Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola to the hardship and suffering being experienced along 327 km road (Ilorin to Lokoja, a Federal Road). The people of Kwara and Kogi state are known for the production of Coffee, Palm Oil, Cashew, Groundnut, Yam, Cassava, Maize, Guinea Corn, Millet and Beans.

With functional roads, farmers who have their cash and foods crops are able to move them from their farms to the markets easily. Therefore to say the road is important to the economy of the Country is an understatement.
The hopes and aspirations of the people in these communities to produce these foods in larger quantities have been shattered because of the hardship in transporting these goods to the markets.

Our people have on several occasions filled the roads with clay soil but it did not last. Similarly, our prominent indigenes have deployed their personal resources to fix the bad portions of the road at some point, a top player in the telecoms industry in consonance with Hon Sunday Karim, a member of the House of Representatives representing Yagba Federal Constituency and His Royal Highness Oba Adedoyin Bolaji paid for fixing part of the road from Osi in Kwara State to Isanlu in Kogi State. The efforts of Hon James Faleke, Hon Tajudeen Yusuf and Godwin Abayomi must be noted as they bankrolled the scrapping and grading of some sections of the road from Obbo-Ille, Kwara State to Obajana in Kogi State. I also want to commend the effort of the Kwara Sate Governor, Alh Abdulrahaman Abdulrasaq who has started fixing the Federal road from his end- Ilorin. Commendable efforts indeed!

But as a matter of fact the road is 46 years old and has reached the expiry date-and requires a permanent solution not patching. The road is often damaged by heavy trucks, erosion and lack of maintenance and this has lead to serious damaged or even loss of life. The trips which should take less than 5 hours have become needlessly long taking about 7 to 8 hours. The business men and women who pile the road often narrate the harrowing and traumatic experience of the road.

Consequently various communities have been alienated from other parts of the town especially at this period when the clouds have opened and is letting down the rain like a waterfall. Our previous administrations have underinvested in our transportation infrastructure for decades, and it’s coming home to roost. The drivers are paying for the nation’s inaction, the passengers are crying as they have to dance an unavoidable dance and must take Panadol after alighting.

The people of Kwara State and Kogi State are law abiding citizen, obedient and pay their taxes as at when due.
At different times we have heard it said that the roads have been awarded and actual work will commence soon but up till now, the road still remains dilapidated. Delaying fixing will only increase costs as construction costs increase with time and further deterioration of the roads continues.

The condition of Ilorin- Lokoja roads is ranked as one of the worst in the Country, doing nothing will be worse than the plagues of Egypt.

It is my sincere hope that this request will be accorded with favorable attention by our Honorable Minster of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (BRF).

Anjorin, who is based in Lagos, can be reached via: [email protected] +234 8032826650