Abiodun Decries Deplorable Condition of Sango-Abeokuta Road

James Sowole in Abeokuta

Ogun State Governor, Mr. Dapo Abiodun Abiodun yesterday decried the deplorable condition of the Sango-Abeokuta road, saying the federal government had failed to respond to his call to reconstruct the road.

 Abiodun also threatened that the state government “will take over reconstruction of Sango/Ota-Abeokuta Road in two weeks, if the federal government fails to fix it within that period.”

He expressed concern about the state of the road shortly after inspecting some bad portions in the Ewekoro axis yesterday.  He said the action had become necessary after the state government alongside Lagos

State had made frantic efforts several times to draw the attention of the federal government, through the office of the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola to the bad shape of the road without any positive response. 

The governor expressed worry over the hardship motorists are being subjected to on the road and declared that the state government would not fold its arms and allow its citizenry to continue to suffer due to the negligence of the authority in charge of this road.

 “If after two weeks, the federal government refuses to commence work on this road, I will take it over and reconstruct it,” the governor said.

While appealing to the people of the state, particularly those living along the road to be patient, the governor said the reason behind the inspection was to examine the level of infrastructure development in Ogun Central and Ogun West with a view to ascertain the level of damages done to some of the major roads in the areas so as to  fashion out the best way towards their reconstruction. 

He said the road awarded to Julius Berger about 15 years ago had been abandoned making it impassable, saying despite the various palliative being carried out on the road, some of the blue chip companies located along the road had failed to support the efforts of the government through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

He assured that the state government would continue to prioritise the welfare of the people of the state in line with his promises during the last governorship campaign.

Meanwhile, the government has terminated the contract awarded to RAJCOM Construction Company, for the reconstruction of  Iwoye-Owode road in Yewa South Local Government Area over low pace of work

Abiodun announced the termination of the contract during the inspection of the 25.4 Kilometres road, expressing dissatisfaction over the level of project completion.

The governor directed the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CECCC) to take over the reconstruction of the entire road from Ilaro to Owode-Yewa

 He explained that as part of the efforts to fast-track its reconstruction, the road was initially divided into two parts where Ilaro to Iwoye was allocated to Chinese engineering construction company, while the remaining half from Iwoye to Owode-Yewa, was also awarded to RAJCOM Construction Company.

He stated that CECCC had succeeded in keeping to its promise by expediting action on its own part of the road, while RAJCOM had failed to live up to expectations.

While describing the road as important not only to the people of Yewaland, but the whole state, the governor assured that the Operations manager of the CECCC has promised that the asphalting of the road would commence in two weeks time in order to relief the people of harrowing experience of passing through on the road.