Relief will soon come to motorists and commuters using the Ado-Odo/Abeokuta expressway as Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, announced the awarding of the contract for the reconstruction of the 63km road.
Governor Abiodun disclosed this at Ilaro on Thursday, during the commissioning of the Ilaro-Iwoye-Owode road in Yewa South Local Government Area. He stated that the road reconstruction is part of his administration’s efforts to address the infrastructural deficit in the State.
He described the road as the second busiest in the country, adding that once completed, it would facilitate the transportation of goods and services from the axis through the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to other parts of the country.
He also mentioned that construction has begun on the Sagamu-Papalanto road, and work on the Papalanto to Ilaro segment is ongoing.
“We have just awarded the Ado-Odo/Abeokuta road contract. It will be the most expensive road this administration has reconstructed. It is 63 kilometers long.
“That road is the second busiest in the country and is crucial to the economy of Yewaland, Ogun Central, and the entire Ogun State.
“From our industrial capital of Ado-Odo/Ota, it allows for the evacuation of goods and services through that road to the hinterland. Those in Ado-Odo/Ota can take that road through Papalanto, link the interchange, and reach the Lagos-Ibadan expressway,” he stated.
Governor Abiodun noted that his administration has built affordable housing in Ilaro and constructed between eight to nine roads in the Ogun West Senatorial District, fulfilling his promise not to develop one part of the State at the expense of others.
He said his government is working to make the axis the food basket and cotton headquarters of the country through a strategic agricultural program.
Abiodun emphasized that the commissioning of the Ilaro-Iwoye-Owode road, which had been in a deplorable condition since 1991, is part of the celebration marking the five years of his administration. He highlighted that focusing on infrastructure is key to attracting investors to the State.
While noting that the road would open up Yewaland, Ogun State, and the country for more economic opportunities, the governor assured the people that any abandoned projects that directly impact their lives would be completed.
Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, representing Ogun West Senatorial District, said the road was in a state of disrepair and had claimed many lives due to accidents, kidnapping, and robbery. He noted that by putting the road in good shape, the governor has saved the people from their harrowing experiences.
Senator Adeola added that the road would provide a new lease on life for the people and address the infrastructural deficit in the area. He noted that businesses that had folded up in the axis would be revived.
Former Governor Aremo Olusegun Osoba, in his goodwill message, said the axis had been the food basket that fed the state and Lagos in the past. He appreciated the governor for focusing on people-oriented projects rather than elitist ones.
Osoba used the occasion to support the transformation of Abeokuta and other towns in the State through urban renewal programs, urging the governor to stay focused as further opening up the State is essential for economic prosperity.
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya, in his welcome address, said that the road will bring socio-economic development and individual prosperity, attract investors to the area, generate employment opportunities for the youths, and keep them engaged.
The Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, in his speech, noted that despite its importance, the road had been abandoned by previous State and federal governments. He added that the many palliatives done by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) did not adequately fix the road.
He commended Governor Abiodun and members of the National Assembly from the senatorial district for working together to change the narrative, fostering economic growth, and enhancing commercial activities in the area. This milestone, he said, paves the way for other people-oriented projects in the senatorial district.
The highlight of the occasion was Osoba commissioning of the road by Aremo Osoba.
