One of the federal roads in Ondo State linking the Southwest to Abuja, the federal capital, is more of a death trap than a good passage for motorists. DAMISI OJO reports.
Travelling to Abuja from Lagos through Ondo State is now more of a danger to motorists as the Ipele – Idoani – Isua – Kabba – Abuja highway, one of the two major link roads to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), from the southwest is in a terrible shape.
The road, one of the federal roads in the state begging for attention is not only in a deplorable state but is also littered with trailers and other heavy duty trucks trapped on the bad portions of the highway, thereby adding to the danger faced by other motorists who manage to navigate the potholes and other failed portions of the road.
Any traveler particularly between Idoani in Ose local government and Isua, Akoko Southeast local government area of Ondo State would witness how chains of trailers are trapped for days and weeks on this road.
Unfortunately, these heavy duty trucks prefer this road because it is devoid of steeply hills, dangerous slopes and sharp bends.
This is unlike the deadly Akungba – Oka route with dangerous points, specifically Oke – Oka hill, Okia-Oka deadly slope and the deadly sharp bends at the end of the slope, where hundreds of people had met their untimely death.
A visit to the area by “The Nation” revealed that most heavy duty trucks ascending the Oka hill usually roll back as a result of their inability to climb the hill causing serious accident resulting in damage to life and properties.
Likewise, trailers, descending the Oka-Okia long slope with a sharp bend at the end usually lose control due to brake failure killing dozens of other road users.
Records at Oka and Iwaro police stations confirm thousands of lives that had been lost on that road.
The deplorable condition of the Ipele route which is presently cut-off and out of use at Ifira – Sosan – Isua Akoko has forced trucks to divert to the dangerous Akungba – Oka route, causing serious havoc to cars and buses.
A road user and public analyst, Mr Olasehinde Idowu blamed the federal and Ondo state governments for abandoning this important road which is a gate way from the southwest to the East and Abuja, the seat of the federal government.
According to him, both Ondo State and Federal governments should note that the cost of abandoning Ipele – Kabba – Abuja Road project is the precious lives and properties that are being lost on Akungba -Oka route on a daily basis.
He lamented that the refusal of the Federal Government to repair the road in the last 20 years has portrayed the insensitivity of the government to the pains of the people.
Idowu noted that some trailers also divert through Idoani – Idogun – Ipesi – Ifira to Isua to avoid the bad spots on Ipele road thereby causing serious damage to this trunk B road belonging to Ondo State government.
One of the political office holders in Ose local government who spoke in confidence said the number of lives that had been lost to road accident on Oka – Okia hill and slope outnumber those lost to the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDs) that we spend billions of naira to control.
He queried the rationale behind the failure of both federal and state government to repair the Ipele Road to prevent further killings on the popular Akungba – Oka route, stressing that Ipele route is more suitable for heavy trucks.
Officials of the Federal Ministry of works and Federal Roads Maintenance Agency(FERMA) said the road is not on the priority list, but added that efforts were on to ensure that federal government pays attention to it as a good alternative to Akungba-Oka Akoko-Isua-Abuja route.
A top government official at the State Ministry of Works who also spoke in confidence said the road in question belongs to the federal government.
He however said the dwindling state allocation has not assisted in focusing on such gigantic project, noting that this would have been worthwhile especially for the mere fact that it is the citizenry of Ondo State that are making use of the road mostly.
