occupied the Ogbomoso-Oyo road with a demand for the quick completion
of abandoned Ogbomoso-Oyo expressway.
We had reported that the residents in June this year, issued an August
1st ultimatum to the Federal Government for the completion of the
abandoned expressway which they alleged had killed more people than
Boko Haram, HIV and AIDS.
Our correspondent gathered that the angry residents, who took to major
streets in the ancient town in protest over the abandoned road,
blocked the road that links the northern and southern parts of the
country since 7am.
They added that they were no more comfortable with the number of
people the road has killed since the construction of the new road,
which has now been abandoned, started about eighteen years ago.
Some of the residents, who gathered at Taki Square carrying placards
and banners with various inscriptions such as "FG Complete our road",
"35 mins Journey now 2 hours, "Ogbomoso-Oyo road is our Boko Haram",
"Stop the killings, fix our road", "We are not animals, we deserve
better roads", "Complete 18 year projects" among others, called on
President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Power, Works and
Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, to immediately mobilize
contractor to the site for the completion of the road without wasting
more time.
The protesters, which include members of various socio-cultural
organizations and religious groups, added that they were left with no
option than to protest when the ultimatum they had given, elapsed.
The residents, according to a statement signed by Reverend Israel
Olaniyan (Head of Churches in Ogbomoso), Bishop Adebayo Akintola
(Secretary, Head of Churches), Chairman, League of Imams and Alfas,
Ogbomoso zone, Alhaji Imam Nafiu Abdulkareem Atanda and Hon. Michael
Abioye (Secretary, Egbe Omo Ogbomoso Parapo Agbaye), a copy which was
obtained by DAILY POST, alleged that no fewer than 15 people lost
their lives weekly and that 780 people lost their lives in a year,
adding that 14, 040 people have died on the road in the last 18 years.
They maintained that the old road, which they called a death-trap, has
led to the death of many youths, women and other promising indigenes
and non-indigenes of the town because the new road which was meant to
be the solution has been abandoned by the federal government.
The residents said, "The construction of the dual carriage highway
which started 18 years ago has left the Ilorin-Ogbomoso and Oyo-Ibadan
portion in a particularly deplorable condition while the Ogbomoso-Oyo
axis of the express road is yet to be started. The situation has left
no option for commuters than to continue to use the old Ogbomoso-Oyo
road which is a one lane road plied by vehicles of all sizes, going to
and from the Northern Nigeria.
"Statistics at our disposal indicates that an average of 15 persons
die on the road per week. In a year, it indicates that an average of
780 persons is lost on this road. Multiplied by 18 years since the
road was awarded, it shows that an average of 14, 040 persons have
lost their lives on Ogbomoso-Oyo road. This is alarming and calls for
urgent completion of the express road under construction.
"These have been a recurring decimal that must not be allowed to
reoccur. An accidental death on the road has drastically cut short the
life expectancy of persons living in this part of Nigeria.
"We indigenes and inhabitants of Ogbomosoland do hereby appeal to the
Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the leadership of
President Muhammadu Buhari, to expedite action on the construction of
the Ogbomoso-Oyo part of the Ibadan-Ilorin road.
"We appeal to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, His Excellency
Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), to as a matter of urgency, declare a
state of emergency on the Ogbomoso-Oyo road and ensure the road is
completed."
0 Comments