From Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
The House of Representatives has called for urgent inclusion of Ajase-Ipo, Omu-Aran, Eruku-Egbe and Kabba Road in the 2022 budget to address the deplorable condition of the road.
This followed the adoption of a motion by Rep. Tunji Olawuyi, a member representing Ekiti, Isin, Irepodun and Oke-ero Federal Constituency of Kwara on the floor of the House on Tuesday in Abuja.
The House mandated the Standing Committees on Appropriations, Finance and Works to include the fund for the finalisation of the road in the 2022 Budget.
The House also mandated Standing Committee on Federal Road MaintenanceAgency (FERMA) to ensure compliance for immediate maintenance of Ajase-Ipo, Omu-Aran, Eruku-Egbe, Kabba road for easy passage.
Olawuyi, said that the ownership of all Trunk A roads linking various states of the Federation was under the purview of the Federal Government, through Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
He added that most of the inter-state roads across the country,especially major roads that connect the North to the Southern region had over the years suffered neglect.
According to him, this is as a result of non-provision of funds by the authorities concerned.
He said that the road from Ajase-Ipo, Kwara State going through Omu-Aran to Eruku-Egbe then Kabba in Kogi State ‘is a federal road’.
The lawmaker expressed worry that no major construction work had so far been carried out by Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for a long time on the road.
He said that in spite of avoidable accidents that had claimed a lot of lives on the all-important route, no major repairs or reconstruction had taken place on the road.
The lawmaker said that the road served as a viable road for the transportation of agricultural produced to the urban cities, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
According to him, the current deplorable state of the Ajase-Ipo –Omu-Aran – Eruku-Egbe – Kabba road, provides enabling environment for armed robbers and kidnappers.
He said that theses criminal elements carried out heinous activities on the road, thereby, subjecting thousands of road users into untold hardship including untimely death.
He said that motorists going to Kwara from Abuja or Kabba were often compelled to go en route Ekiti State because of the pitiable condition of Kabba – Omu-Aran road.
Olawuyi called for urgent intervention of the Federal Government through Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to fix the road.
He said that this would serve as immediate palliative to reduce the burden of commuters from travelling long distance to access Kwara State.
The House urged the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to take necessary steps toward providing lasting solutions to the road.
The House also urged the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola to carry out the dualisation work on Ajase-Ipo – Omu-Aran – Eruku-Egbe – Kabba road.
The House advised that the ministry could possibly use the concrete cement for the project, ‘which is far cheaper and easy to maintain,’ while urging the ministry to prioritise its immediate fixing.
It also mandated the Standing Committees on Appropriations, Finance and, Works to include the fund for the finalisation of Ajase-Ipo –Omu-Aran – Eruku-Egbe – Kabba road in the 2022 Budget.