No doubt, the Ado – Akure federal road, has been a source of worry to residents and travellers, who repeatedly witness tragic accidents and are forced to pay high fares because motorists claim they spend more money to maintain their vehicles due to the state of the road and most importantly, as we approach another raining season.
Recall that the dualization of Ado-Ekiti – Akure road was approved in early 2020 by the Federal Government to Dantata & Sawoe contracting firm for over N22 billion.
However, since then, the project has since been abandoned with little or nothing happening on the road.
Also, the Federal Executive Council had in 2019 approved the rehabilitation of the 36 kilometers Ado-Ekiti–Igede-Aramoko-Itawure road for about N14 billion. Then, the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola in a statement said the contract which was awarded to Messrs Deux Projects Limited/Hitech Construction Company Limited was expected to be completed in 30 months but up till now, the project has not seen the light of the day.
In the case of Akure-Ado Ekiti road, it is pertinent for President Muhammadu Buhari to forthwith terminate the Dantata and Sawoe firm contract for the abandonment of N22billion Akure/Ado Ekiti road dualisation project.
It was gathered that the contractors having been mobilized for over two years have shirked basic responsibility to perform and do the job satisfactorily.
As we are on the threshold of another raining season which may likely cause delay for any road construction work, the people are really downcast on the persistent and recurring failure of federal government to accede to the popular demand on fixing the much neglected and abandoned Akure/Ado Ekiti road over the years.
The poor and appalling condition of this route as very critical artery that links both Ondo/Ekiti States to other parts of the country and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), continues ad nauseam to exert strains and stress on the people in terms of eking out means of livelihood, goods and services.
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There was a glimmer of hope which fired the aspirations and expectation of the people as the Dantata and Sawoe construction (Nigeria) Ltd and Factorial Engineering, a firm of structural engineering moved their men and equipment to site on the stretch of sane imagination that work would commence in earnest.
To the disgust of the people and bewildered nation, work abruptly stopped leaving the people agape and aghast.
The people are not comfortable with the trend of event, raised grouse on the unsavoury development of how the welfare and material well being of the articulate people of south west could be brazenly violated, mortgaged and short-changed.
We called for a powerful inquiry on the activities of the company with a view of fishing out culprits involved in the delay and nonchalance in executing the people’s project on schedule.
Apart from the fact that there was ongoing skeletal operation on site until recently. We are invariably and persistently being told that work is in progress and that the contract has been rejigged. What that means , we don’t know and also we don’t know who is deceiving who in this saga.
As we approach heavy and torrential rainfall which may put on hold any serious road construction and re-construction networks, President Buhari and his Federal Executive Council must look at the import of this historic road and do the needful to bolster the economy of the South West.
As a link and gateway to the other parts of the country, it will certainly promote the prosperity of the nation, increase the wealth of towns and springing up of cottage industries, transport of farm produce from the hinterland to the urban centres to be more accessible to large growing populations.
Finally, the contract must be revoked as demanded by the peace loving people who had earlier in 2021 staged peaceful protest over the continuous criminal neglect, negligence and corruption concomitant with the contract award.
