Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun, has expressed concern over the deplorable condition of the Ibadan Gbongan Expressway, describing it as death trap.
Oyintiloye, a member of the defunct Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), while speaking with newsmen on Sunday in Osogbo, said the road linking Oyo, Osun and Ondo States has become a threat to users.
He warned that continued neglect of the road would lead to higher risk, especially during this festive period when more commuters are expected to use the road.
Oyintiloye, a former lawmaker, appealed to the Federal Government to urgently fix the road before its total collapse.
He said the road was now in such a terrible condition that motorists had to abandon one lane of the dual carriageway.
The APC chieftain noted that many deep potholes on the road, which serves as a vital route linking South-West states with the other regions of the country, have made it almost impassable.
“I want to appeal to the Federal Ministry of Works to urgently find a solution and fix this road.
“Every part of the road is almost impassable, and this is causing untold hardship for motorists traveling on it.
“In this festive season, traffic volume on the road will increase and without emergency repairs, motorists might face more hardship and insecurity,” he said.
Oyintiloye, while commending the Federal Government on its Renewed Hope infrastructure development across the country, said urgent intervention is needed on the road for the safety and well being of Nigerians using it.
“Due to the terrible condition of the road, the dual carriageway has been converted to a single lane.
“This is not good for the safety of road users, especially at this period.
“A good road network will help the nation to sustain its current economic growth, create jobs, improve economic activities, and enrich the quality of life of the people,” he stated.
Oyintiloye said that the deteriorating condition of many roads across the country has become a significant strain on the economy.
He said the situation was leading to loss of billions of naira annually in terms of productivity and resources.
“Beyond economic setbacks, the poor state of the road network has claimed countless lives in preventable accidents and exposed travellers to danger of insecurity,” he said.
Oyintiloye said that despite substantial yearly budget dedicated to road construction and maintenance, the country continues to face a persistent gap in the quality and quantity of its road infrastructure.
He urged Federal Government to fast track the rehabilitation and reconstruction of all the roads that need urgent attention as the Yuletide period approaches.
