The Ogun State government has completed the reconstruction of the Prof. Wole Soyinka Train Station Road in Abeokuta, the state capital, and some other critical roads in ongoing efforts to make commuting pleasurable across the three senatorial districts of the state.
Other roads are also at different stages of completion.
Some of the other completed roads are Express Link Road, Ogere, Ikenne Local Government Area; Akute-Ajuwore; Alagbole-Ajuwon; and Hercules-Giwa roads in Ifo Local Government Area.
Those under construction are Ode-Saapade Road (phase 2), Ayepe Junction to Mayflower Road (Tai Solarin Road), Ikenne Local Government Area; Hospital Road Junction to Ayepe Junction, Sagamu Local Government Area; Akute Lambe Agbado Road, Ifo Local Government Area; and Magboro Road, among others.
The roads, which had been in deplorable condition for a long time, had adversely affected the lives of residents as they made commuting stressful and time-consuming.
The Site Supervisor of Hi-Tech, the company handling the construction of Ode-Saapade Road, Ghassan Moussa, speaking on the current status of the project, said the road is 60 per cent completed, as it is currently being extended on both sides while continuing the second stage.
“After completing the road extension, we will put a stone base and then asphalt. The challenge we have is the rain. Don’t forget we are in the rainy season. Sometimes the rain will disturb us, and sometimes it doesn’t,” he said.
The Site Engineer of Sobak Nig. Ltd, the construction company in charge of Ayepe Junction to Mayflower Road (Tai Solarin Road), Engineer Friday Oseghale said: “What we are doing now is road resurfacing. We started from Ayepe Junction, and now we are close to St. Saviours Church. The width of the road is about 12 meters.”
A taxi driver, Mr. Fatai Adeosun, who plies the Olokuta-train station-Laderin routes in Abeokuta, described the condition of the road before the construction as ‘terrible,’ noting that he and his colleagues avoided the area in the past.
According to him, with the road now in good motorable condition, it has become the darling of commercial drivers and riders, even as he expressed gratitude to the governor for coming to the aid of the people.
Mrs. Theresa Olubunmi, a resident of Laderin Estate in Abeokuta, appreciated Governor Abiodun for listening to their cries by constructing the road, while Austin Ighalo, a commercial motorcycle operator, lauded the governor for repairing the road, which has reduced time wastage and the cost of repairing their bikes.
Speaking on the condition of the link road at Ogere, a trader at the Ogere tollgate market, Mrs. Fausat Awosanya, noted the deplorable condition the road was in before the reconstruction by the Governor Abiodun-led administration.
“It was difficult conveying our goods to the market as transporters charged us exorbitantly. But now, with the road in good condition, the drivers are willing to bring us to the market at a reduced price,” she said.
On the Ode-Saapade Road (phase 2), a resident of Ode-Remo, Agboola Adebayo, expressed delight with the construction and appreciated the governor for coming to their aid.
He said: “We are happy; we are grateful to the governor for doing this for us. We did not think this would happen so soon, and it is happening. The road has been there for ages; we have had so many governors who didn’t care, but this time, Governor Dapo Abiodun is one in a million. We will continue to be grateful; everybody will continue to be grateful to him for doing this for us.”
Also speaking, Ejike Okemere, a businessman residing in Ode, lauded the governor for repairing the road, saying it would boost commercial activities, thereby improving the socio-economic development of the area and Ogun State as a whole.
