Oyo State, Nigeria – The Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has garnered commendation from motorists and other road users as it intensified efforts to rehabilitate federal roads in the Oke-Ogun axis of Oyo State. Maintenance work on these roads had previously been halted due to reported cases of kidnapping, banditry, and other security concerns in the area.
However, disturbed by the increasing number of road crashes and other incidents attributed to the deplorable state of roads, FERMA has resumed its rehabilitation activities. The agency recently commenced works on Kishi and Ago-Are/Saki roads, executing the project through direct labor.
Motorists expressed relief and appreciation for the intervention, stating that it would significantly reduce the reported carnage on the roads and lower the cost of transporting farm produce to markets in the region. Abdulraman Maruf Abiola, a leader of the motorists, described FERMA’s decision to resume rehabilitation as a welcome development.
“The state of the roads in the Oke-Ogun area is appalling. The situation has resulted in the geometric increase on the prices of commodities as well the reported cases of the crashes on the roads,” Abiola stated. He further explained, “The cost of transporting the farm produces to the neighbouring markets, in recent times, have witnessed a geometric increase as a result of the deplorable condition of the roads. Also, most of the road crashes recorded in the area have been attributed to the deplorable condition of the roads.” He concluded, “However, with the intervention of FERMA, there will be drastic reduction in the reported cases.” Abiola also noted that periodic rehabilitation would reduce road accidents, high transportation costs, and other mishaps, while pleading for further intervention on other bad portions of the Kishi/Igbeti Road.
Engineer Olutunde Adepoju, of FERMA’s Oyo State Field Office, attributed the neglect of federal roads in the Oke-Ogun axis to insecurity. He lamented that many of the roads currently being rehabilitated were constructed around 1979 and 1980 and had not been adequately maintained by users. “Maintenance is one of the things that we are lacking in anything that we do. We need to come back to that basis to ensure that all these items are being attended to at the appropriate time,” Adepoju remarked.
He affirmed that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is committed to addressing road infrastructure. Adepoju highlighted finance as the main constraint, but expressed optimism, stating, “I believe that the House of Representatives Chairman on FERMA, Honourable Remi Oseni, together with all other members of the Senate Committee on FERMA are already working on how to increase the allocation given to the agency. There is nothing we can do if fund is not available and I believe that all those who are concerned are already advocating for it. We just pray that God will continue to help the president with the reform the New Hope Agenda is pursuing.”
Detailing the ongoing work, Adepoju said, “We are currently working at Kishi Town and the total area we are covering is about 1,110 square metres which is approximately about 111 metres of asphalt. More or less, what we are doing here is sectional repairs. Our own concern is how to make the road motorable for the community. So we have to carry out the rehabilitation of the place.” He added, “From here, we will move to Ago-Are. Ago-Are axis spans from Iseyin. The total kilometre is about 306 kilometres of road. The section we are repairing currently is about 268 kilometres and our own work we have only covered approximately two kilometres that we are currently repairing.”
