We deserve better road, Ogbomosho residents voice out

No fewer than 100 indigenes and residents of Ogbomoso, on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest, demanding for quick completion of the Ogbomoso-Oyo road, by the Federal government.

The resident gathered at the Taki Square of the town, carrying  placards with inscriptions such as “ FG Complete our road” “ 35 mins Journey now 2 hours “ ogbomoso-Oyo road is our book haram”” Stop the killings fix our road , We are not animals we deserve better roads, Complete 18 year projects” and many others.

It was gathered that the residents had earlier made an appeal to the Minister of Power, Works, and Housing, His Excellency Babatunde Fashola (SAN) to urgently complete the Ogbomoso-Oyo road, by 1st August 20.

A press statement which was released in June, revealed that the old road has caused the death of many youths, women and other promising indigenes and non-indigenes of the town.

This, they said happened because the new road which suppose to be the solution has been abandoned by the federal government.

According to the statement “The construction of the dual carriage highway which started 18 years ago has left the Ilorin-Ogbomoso and Oyo-Ibadan portion in a particularly deplorable condition while the Ogbomoso-Oyo axis of the express road is yet to be started. The situation has left no option for commuters than to continue to use the old Ogbomoso-Oyo road which is a one lane road plied by vehicles of all sizes, going to and from the Northern Nigeria.

“Statistics at our disposal indicates that an average of 15 persons die on the road per week. In a year, it indicates that an average of 780 persons is lost on this road. Multiplied by 18 years since the road was awarded, it shows that an average of 14, 040 persons have lost their lives on Ogbomoso-Oyo road. This is alarming and calls for urgent completion of the express road under construction.

“These have been a recurring decimal that must not be allowed to reoccur. An accidental death on the road has drastically cut short the life expectancy of persons living in this part of Nigeria.”

The press statement was signed by Reverend Israel Olaniyan (Head of Churches in Ogbomoso), Bishop Adebayo Akintola (Secretary, Head of Churches), Chairman, League of Imams and Alfas, Ogbomoso zone Alhaji Imam Nafiu Abdulkareem Atanda and Hon. Michael Abioye (Secretary, Egbe Omo Ogbomoso Parapo Agbaye).

The protest featured groups like Christians Association of Nigerian,( CAN )Ogbomoso zone,  Igbo Community, Hausa Community  and   others.