President Bola Tinubu, on Monday, flagged off the dualisation of the N295.9 billion Ibadan-Ijebu Ode Road project, saying the project, when completed, will boost economy and trade in the South-West.
Tinubu, who was represented at the event by Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, described the project as a strategic link that connects history, culture, commerce, and people across Oyo and Ogun States.
He explained that the two states share more than a geographical boundary and that the road’s impact will extend far beyond their borders.
Tinubu said that the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode road was part of a larger federal push on infrastructure in the South-West.
According to the President, the project, awarded to JRB Construction Company, will cover approximately 58 kilometres of dual carriageway, “translating to about 116 kilometres of single carriageway when completed.
“The contractor has assured me that the road will be completed in less than 24 months,” Tinubu said
He said that his administration had resolved to deliver roads that were durabile, safe, and with long-term value.
Every naira committed to public infrastructure, the President said, must produce measurable benefits for the people, asserting that the true value of the project would be measured by its effect on ordinary citizens.
“For the farmer, it will provide a more reliable route from farm to market. For the trader and the youth, it will provide access to customers.
“For manufacturers, it will facilitate the movement of raw materials and finished goods,” Tinubu said.
According to him, the road will also shorten travel time and improve access to healthcare, education, and other essential services for families and commuters.
Tinubu further linked the project to job creation and regional integration, asserting “the road construction will also generate a lot of direct and indirect jobs and advance the vision of a South-West that is economically integrated and globally competitive.
“People in government working within their responsibilities while pursuing a common objective of improving the welfare of the people — this is what constructive infrastructure should produce,” he said.
The President further said that the dualisation aligns with his administration’s goal of an economically integrated South-West, stressing that development was not achieved through declarations alone.
He commended the collaboration between federal and state governments and urged stakeholders to support the timely completion of the project.
In his remarks, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, commended Tinubu for giving priority to concrete pavement road infrastructure, assuring that “every road built by this administration has a lifespan of 50 years.”
Umahi stated that some of the ongoing road projects might not be completed by 2027 “but all will be completed and inaugurated on or before 2031.”
He described the approval for the reconstruction of the road as a gift to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, from President Tinubu.
He further disclosed that the President directed him to act on the letter written by Oba Ladoja on the need for infrastructural development in the South-West region, which includes the Ibadan-Ijebu Ode road and other roads in the region.
The minister said that the President had directed the reconstruction of the Ibadan-Abeokuta road and 15 other roads in the region.
In his goodwill message, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasidi Ladoja, appreciated the Tinubu administration’s gesture on infrastructural development in the South-West.
Oba Ladoja gave assurance that the people in the region would reciprocate with their votes in 2027.
“The performance of the President is likely to help him win the coming presidential election,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the road is a major corridor linking Oyo and Ogun States and serves as a key route for agricultural produce, goods and passengers moving between the hinterland and Lagos and other commercial hubs.
Among the dignitaries who graced the occasion were Sen. Sarafadeen Ali and Sen. Yinus Akintunde, representing Oyo South and Oyo Central respectively in the Senate.
