Abu Micheal, Chief Press Secretary to Kogi State deputy governor, looks at the hardship faced by people and commuters who ply Lokoja- Kabba- egbe – Ilorin Road and stated the need for the Federal Government’s timely intervention to end the suffering of the people.
Bad roads are responsible for most of the accidents that happen on our roads. At the same time, bad roads hasten the process of tear and wear of various cars and impoverish the owners. Also, pothole infested roads are increasingly becoming the operational zones of criminals particularly, armed robbers.
This is true of the Obajana-Oshokoshoko-Kabba-Mopa-Isanlu-Egbe Road. This is a federal road that links most parts of the West Senatorial District to the rest part of Kogi State. It is also the fastest link between Kwara and Kogi states. The road is now in a deplorable state and it has also become a safe haven for armed bandits who now subject motorists plying the route to harrowing experiences.
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First constructed in 1974/75, the road boosted economic activities in the present Kogi West Senatorial District. This district consists mainly of rural communities whose main occupation is agriculture. With the deplorable condition of the road, the farmers are now facing economic hardship as they find it difficult to transport their produces to the market.
Also, because of the high volume of traffic that the road used to enjoy, there were petrol stations and other businesses. Similarly there were so many eateries on the stretch of road which were stop over points for motorists. But, today, many of the eatery operators have either closed shop or been forced to scale down on their operation. The only good portion of the road is that which repair was undertaken by the Dangote Group from Kabba junction to the Dangote Cement Factory site at Obajana.
Governor Idris Wada, who has obviously been worried about the deplorable state of the road, took advantage of the occasion of the commissioning of the third phase of the Dangote cement project last year and the presence of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to appeal to the Federal Government to make the road a priority in 2013 considering its social and economic importance.
The President of the Company, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, during a visit to victims ravaged by flood in the state last year, also pledged to complete the remaining stretch of road up to Kabba once the grey areas had been sorted out between his company and the Federal Government.
This road has become a major source of concern to many people in Kogi State because the various alternative routes they have been forced to take in order to connect to Kwara State and some other states in South West often elongated their journey. For those that still ply the route, they have often have to bear high costs of repairs on their vehicles and often fall victims of armed robbers.
Hon. Tajudeen Yusuf, member representing Kabba/Ijumu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said he will remain unfulfilled as a federal lawmaker if the road is not fixed.
Hon. Funso Olumko, the former Liaison Officer 1 for Ijumu Local Government Area, is also as worried as other indigene of Kogi State particularly, at the failure of the Federal Government to include the project in the 2013 budget.
Hon. Afolabi Oluyori, member representing Ijumu Constituency in the state House of Assembly, shares similar opinion on the state of the road.
He lamented the number of robbery and rape cases on that road as worst in recent time. He called for urgent steps that will help protect lives and properties of motorists on that road.
The traditional ruler of Obajana, home of Dangote Cement Factory, Oba (Engr.) Joseph Idowu Isenibi JP, and the Council Chairman of Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, Hon Funsho Olorunfemi, also spoke on the deplorable state of the road and its implications for Kogi and the nation. They called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency fix the road in view of its socio-economic importance and the hardship faced by the people of the area.
Oba Ayodele Irukera, the Baale of Egbe, said the road, which was flagged off in 1974/75, opened up the entire area to a flood-gate of economic benefits, but added that since the last couple of years, those opportunities were no longer available because of the deplorable state of the road.
Hon. Shola Adebola, a former Liaison Officer 1 for Yagba – East Local Government Area, one of the local council areas linked by the road, said his area had made several position papers to the appropriate quarters all to no avail and called on the Federal Government to make the road a priority in the next budget.
It is a gamut of issues. Transporters and commuters alike have their own pains also. So, it is for farmers, market women and business men and women who see the deplorable state of the road as the worst pain and suffering inflicted on them by the government not fixing the road after it became bad years ago.
The Obajana – Oshokoshoko – Kabba – Mopa – Isanlu – Egbe Road, according to Yomi Awoniyi, Kogi deputy governor and an indigene of Mopa, a town the road passes, is one road that is central to the socio-economic life of Okun land, Kogi State and Nigeria.
He added that since transporters abandoned the road because of its deplorable state, many businesses along the route have packed up.
He added that the state government was not resting until the road was fixed.
His words,”I have visited the Minister of Works on several occasion regarding that road and I am optimistic that he will soon live up to his promise”.
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