The continued building of the Federal Authorities-owned 83.83-kilometre Saki-Iseyin Highway in Oke Ogun axis of Oyo State by Governor Seyi Makinde, will little question convey nice reduction to thousands and thousands of commuters travelling alongside the axis by the point it’s accomplished within the subsequent three months. SEYE OLUMIDE examines how residents of Oyo are already reacting to the event.
For many who ply the Saki-Iseyin Highway within the Oke-Ogun axis of Oyo State, the graduation of building works on the axis by the Oyo State authorities via Kopek Development Restricted, is already a sign of the anticipated reduction for commuters on that axis. Notably optimistic are the business automobile operators and others whose day by day companies and or different elements make their motion frequent alongside the trail. Certainly, a business bus operator, who ply Ibadan to Iseyin and Saki, Morufu Bankole, mentioned, “I can’t look forward to the street to be accomplished. It’s been hell driving on Saki-Iseyin street day by day in the previous couple of years.” Pointing at his automobile, which was within the queue at Ojoo, the place he often masses, Bankole, mentioned, “There isn’t any week I don’t go to car mechanics for restore as a result of unhealthy state of the street. However with what is occurring, my ordeal on Saki-Iseyin street will quickly come to an finish.” One other driver, Adepoju Atanda, whose job is to move agricultural merchandise from Saki, Iseyin, Oke Ogun to Oyo, Ibadan and Ogun states, mentioned his biggest pleasure, by the point the street building finishes within the subsequent three months, is that the lengthy hours of driving as a result of unhealthy situation of the street will scale back drastically. He lamented what he often spent on gas due to the pointless unhealthy situation of the street coupled with the harrowing experiences he had had whereas travelling on many events. Baba Jamiu, as he’s fondly referred to as on the park, associated his harrowing expertise on the street when some infamous armed theft laid siege to unsuspecting drivers at varied unhealthy spots on the street. Mentioned he, “Individuals talked about time wasted, gas wastage and damages on automobiles; all these are replaceable however what about lives which were wasted in street crashes and to armed robbers on the identical Saki-Iseyin street over time.” He mentioned Governor Makinde will need to have taught it proper when he put aside sentiment whether or not the Saki-Iseyin street is a federal street however went forward to repair it. These and different experiences from merchants, who travelled from totally different components of Southwest and past to purchase items in Saki, Iseyin, Oke Ogun and past, had been narrated to The Guardian about their varied ordeals on the street. A yam service provider, who usually travels to Iseyin to purchase yam, mentioned, “Unhealthy roads in Nigeria are one of many causes meals gadgets are costly. The price of transportation is simply too excessive. I pray that what Governor Makinde has began, he’ll full. I’m dreaming of seeing the street accomplished as promised within the subsequent three months. The street has been a loss of life entice that has despatched quite a few folks to their early graves; some are even maimed for all times.” Maybe these harrowing experiences of harmless and helpless Nigerians on the Saki-Iseyin street, which will need to have been made out there to the governor on a day by day, month-to-month, quarterly and yearly foundation, as state of affairs and safety stories, prompted him into motion. However notably among the many disposition of Governor Makinde to infrastructure provision, which a number of respondents alluded to of their testimonies, is that since 2019 when took over energy, the governor has by no means performed politics with no matter has to do with human welfare and or pursuits. This will need to have knowledgeable his honest and even insurance policies on infrastructure, particularly street distributions and constructions whether or not it’s federal, state or native authorities roads throughout the senatorial districts in Oyo. Over 5 and half years in the past when Governor Makinde took over energy, one of the deplorable federal roads in Oyo, is the Saki-Iseyin Federal Highway within the Oke Ogun axis. The street has not solely been deserted for years however it has additionally brought about a number of casualties as a result of incessant accidents, and lack of financial and manpower principally due to pointless lengthy hours spent by motorists whereas travelling. There are all the time frequent crime charges like kidnapping, theft and others all made doable as a result of the 83.83-kilometre street has been left by varied successive federal administrations to degenerate over time. The governor, over time, has not hid his willpower to repair the Saki-Iseyin street, regardless of whether or not it’s a federal street, if and when doable. To fulfil his promise, the governor had since directed the rehabilitation of the 83.83 km Saki-Iseyin Highway, to ease the burden of Nigerians plying the axis. The restricted street rehabilitation commenced this month and is being executed by Kopek Development Restricted. The rehabilitation features a sequence of important actions designed to enhance the street’s structural integrity and guarantee its sturdiness. The actions embrace clearing, which entails eradicating vegetation, particles, and different obstructions alongside the street path, and making ready the location for building by making a clear and open space to work successfully. It additionally entails scarification, which has to do with breaking apart and loosening the present street floor. This removes any broken or worn-out materials, making a base appropriate for rebuilding or resurfacing the street. The earthworks are additionally ongoing, which embrace excavating, transferring, and reshaping the soil to create a secure basis for the street. The earthworks additionally contain filling low-lying areas and levelling the bottom for correct drainage and street stability. The contractor can also be doing the retaining partitions, which entails constructing buildings to carry again soil or stop erosion, significantly on slopes. Retaining partitions make sure the street’s stability and shield surrounding areas from landslides or soil collapse. To make sure an ideal job, the governor has additionally directed the lateritic sub-base. This requires {that a} layer of laterite (soil wealthy in iron and aluminium) is unfold and compacted to offer a robust and secure basis beneath the street’s floor. The thought is to make sure that the layer absorbs automobile masses and distributes them evenly. One other important construction of the street is the usage of the Crushed Stone Base Course. A layer of crushed stones is added to the sub-base, which reinforces the street’s energy, offers a agency floor for the higher layers, and ensures sturdiness below heavy visitors. Carrying Course: That is the topmost layer of the street, usually manufactured from asphalt. It offers a clean driving floor, protects the underlying layers, and ensures the street’s sturdiness in opposition to climate and visitors put on. Following the directives of the governor, the complete 83.83 km of the Saki-Iseyin Highway undertaking is projected to be accomplished inside three months and as soon as accomplished, the street will supply improved accessibility, enhanced sturdiness, and higher driving situations for residents and commuters. Governor Makinde, throughout the commissioning of the dualised 12.5 km Problem-Odo Ona Elewe-Elebu-Apata Highway in Ibadan, mentioned the place roads go, improvement follows. Different federal roads fastened by the governor within the final 5 years embrace the 65 km Moniya-Iseyin Highway, the 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin Highway and the 35.3 km Ibadan-Iwo-Osogbo Highway amongst others. In the meantime, motorists plying the Iwo/Ibadan Expressway solution to used his magnanimity with that of Governor Ademola Adeleke to repair the street. Whereas the motorists counseled the governor over the close to completion of the Olodo Bridge, they appealed to the governor and his Osun counterpart to do one thing on the Iwo) Ibadan Expressway. Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Olarewaju Sulaimon, mentioned his principal prioritises street improvement taking into account the progress it brings to communities and the state. The COS referred to the latest completion of the 76.7 kilometers Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso Highway, which in keeping with him has reworked the financial and social lives of individuals staying alongside the axis. He additionally disclosed that the administration of Governor Makinde of the ruling Peoples Democratic Occasion (PDP), has efficiently constructed and rehabilitated over 600 kilometres of roads inside 5 years (2019-2024). The Oyo State Commissioner for Public Works, Infrastructure and Transportation, Professor Dahud Sangodoyin, mentioned: “It has been found over the previous couple of months that that street now could be a loss of life entice for folks residing alongside that axis, and we’ve a few of our native governments – Iseyin Native Authorities, ATISBO – there. It has been deserted. A part of the work that FERMA did on the street is spoilt. “This era, our folks will likely be transferring from one city to a different and we need to minimise accidents on roads as a lot as doable. So, His Excellency thought-about that we must always go and do restricted rehabilitation of that street in order that no less than we will likely be saving lives and property on the street. “We’re working in direction of three months, however the contractor will go on go away within the subsequent one week. However as I communicate now, we’ve addressed some areas across the Iseyin finish in direction of Saki. “Hopefully, earlier than the tip of subsequent week, we will cowl far. After New Yr, we’ll proceed.” A report, which has surpassed that of his predecessors, within the historical past of Oyo and particularly within the final 25 years (1999 to 2024) of democratic governance. Makinde’s instant predecessor, the late Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), constructed an estimated 200 kilometres of roads together with the Mokola Flyover, the primary of its type in Oyo. These had been achieved throughout the eight years of Ajimobi’s rule. The late Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, who ruled Oyo from 2007 to 2011 was mentioned to have allegedly constructed over 33 kilometers of street earlier than he was defeated by Ajimobi within the 2011 gubernatorial ballot. Up to now 5 years in Oyo, Governor Makinde has ensured the development and rehabilitation of intra and inter-cities roads throughout the 33 native governments and main ones throughout the three senatorial districts. Among the roads are; Moniya-Iseyin street (accomplished), Theophilus Akinyele Means, (accomplished) Onipepeye street,(accomplished), Oyo-Iseyin street, (accomplished), Ibadan-Airport street (accomplished) Olorunsogo-Akanran street, (ongoing)), Eruwa street (ongoing) to say however few.
The event has endeared the current administration to the center of the folks, one of many main elements that moved the citizens in Oyo to re-elect Governor Makinde massively throughout the 2023 gubernatorial ballot through which the incumbent trashed his main opponent and rival, Senator Teslim Folarin of the APC in 31 native governments out of the present 33.
A former Commissioner for Works, Oyo State, Prof. Raphael Afonja, mentioned the folks of Oyo could not absolutely realise the financial impacts of Makinde’s deft street building coverage now till later sooner or later. He famous the incumbent has opened the state and it’ll require somebody with comparable imaginative and prescient to construct on it. He mentioned the street is a superb enhance to financial actions alongside the trail, particularly agricultural merchandise, which prior to now used to get spoiled as a result of inaccessible roads. He mentioned the baseline behind Governor Makinde’s imaginative and prescient on infrastructure improvement is to attach Oyo State to allow farmers, enterprise house owners, miners and all which have entry to alternatives that may make the state economically viable. Based on him, “Opening new roads means giving folks the chance to have entry to new areas, new lands in locations which have by no means been checked out as locations the place there may be alternatives or host some sort of companies. “I’m huge on manufacturing and I feel it’s about time we inspired producers to convey their companies to Oyo State.”
