Residents of over 40 communities and villages along the Apete-Awotan-Akufo Road in Ido Local Government Area in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital have cried out to Governor Seyi Makinde of the state to without wasting more time, reconstruct the Apete-Awotan-Akufo Road.
The residents made this known while expressing their minds over the bad shape of the Apete-Awotan-Akufo Road. They said that they are now experiencing hardship on the road on daily basis.
It was gathered that the clamor for the reconstruction of the Apete-Awotan-Akufo Road has been on for many years with no serious response from government, the situation which has forced the community into self-help on many occasions.
The road, according to residents becomes impassable during the rainy season. Some of the residents who spoke with DAILY POST, lamented the deplorable condition of the road and seek for government urgent intervention.
Chairman of Awotan community landlord Association, Engineer Rasaq Fabayo while speaking said “The community some time ago took a step to fix the road and it worked then but later got damaged due to heavy downpour and blockage of drainages.
“We have commenced work on some parts of the road but our effort is just a temporary measure, we need a permanent solution, we want the governor to fix the road for us, many people are deserting the community because of the poor condition of the road and I believe in the ability of Engineer Makinde to continue where his predecessor stopped.
“The most of the roads are no longer motorable, erosion has created gully on many parts of the road making it difficult for motorists even motorcycle riders to navigate, some of us have abandoned our vehicle at home because we cannot afford to be visiting mechanic because of the bad condition of the road,” Says Adesola Kamil, one of the residents.
Another resident of the area, Alhaji Soladoye Adewole, while narrating his experience on the road, said that the previous governments awarded the road from Ijokodo Junction to Akufo, but did not take cognisance of the population and traffic on the road.
Adewole said that the problem of commuters in the road, would be compounded when two bridges on the road collapsed.
He said, “The road has been awarded before from Ijokodo to Akufo, then the government did not take cognisance of volume of traffic, and the population.
“Very soon, the bridges at Babalola and Morubo would collapsed and it will be terrible, many students staff of The Polytechnic Ibadan, University of Ibadan, government workers are living in these communities along the road.
“Our plea is to ensure that government come to our aid in this road. And I know that all the gubernatorial candidates then came and passed through the road from Awotan to Akufo.
Alhaja Adejoke Olagoke on her own part said “It is risky to plight that route with goods now, we run at a loss at time because of delay or accident due to bad roads, we need the government to help us fix the road urgently ,the present administration should not abandoned us like his successor.
On their own part, residents of Trailer park, Akowo, Adaba, Alapata, Alakuta and other communities, have called on Makinde to relocate the dumping site located at Akowo area which is along the Apete-Awotan-Akufo Road.
The residents called on the Governor to come to their aid and relocate the site due to the impeding heath hazard. They made these requests during a peaceful protest staged to press home their demands on Thursday.
The residents after the protest later sent a delegation to the office of the state commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Kehinde Ayoola to lodge their complains.
DAILY POST gathered that the dumping site acquired by the state government in the early 90s is now surrounded by hundreds of houses.
It was also gathered that many residents, especially those living close to the dumping site have vacated their houses due to environmental hazard and other hygienic problems
Apart from the constant odour, the residents complained that they cannot drink from their wells and boreholes due to seepage of sewer into water sources.
The residents added that the communities in their resolve to get the problem solved send a delegation to Ayoola to discuss the challenges been faced by the residents on Thursday. Ayoola on Friday, visited the site and the road as he assured of government’s intervention in their requests.
Ayoola while addressing the residents assured the community of the government readiness to make like easy and bearable for and sundry in the state
He said that Makinde led administration will not ignore their demands but take necessary steps required to make the place conducive and hygienic for them
He said, “On Thursday, 26th September, 2019, we received a 3-man delegation of residents of Awọ́tán, Apete in Ido Local Govt area who came to complain about the dumpsite there.
“We visited the place and arrived to meet angry residents with placards demanding the immediate relocation of the site.
“My observation is that the road to that place is bad and there are evidences of seepage of sewer into water sources like wells not to talk of the nuisance of odour and vernins.”
Here are some of the pictures obtained by DAILY POST correspondent during a visit to the road.
