Ogun State government has said that the Agbado-Oke Aro-Akute Road in Ifo local government area of the state is yet to be repaired as a result of budgetary issues and hike in the cost of construction materials.
Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya, made this known in a press statement issued in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
The statement was in reaction to a video that captured 500 pastors urging Governor Dapo Abiodun to rehabilitate the road in fulfilment of his re-election pledge.
The Agbado-Oke Aro-Akute Road has totally collapsed with residents experiencing untold hardship.
Businesses in the area have also collapsed as a result of the bad roads.
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Dismissing the call by the 500 pastors for a repair of the road by the governor as mere subtle blackmail, the commissioner said the constraints responsible for the delay were being addressed.
Said Akinsanya: “With respect to completing the project to relieve the pains of our people and infuse a new lease of life into the area, we are on the same page with the clerics captured in the video demanding action on the road.
“It is the constitutional responsibility of the government to provide good roads for the people of Ogun State, and it is a fact that the Ogun State government under Prince Dapo Abiodun has invested heavily on roads.
“This particular road, Alagbole to Sango Ota, is about 32 km, and the government has already done 16 km out of it. More importantly, it is also captured in the 2024 budget.
“However, the budgetary provision based on the reality on the ground, particularly in relation to forex, is inadequate. The cost of asphalt, granite, and other materials have spiked, and so the government is looking at a way of bridging the cost gap. As we all know, a project initially billed to cost N1bn may cost more than double nowadays. Therefore, it requires a lot of reengineering.
“Rather than engage in subtle blackmail and character assassination, what we need are concerted efforts to put the economy back on track.
“The citizenry must also support the government to get out of the economic quagmire by paying their taxes.
“Statistics show that most residents of the area are not captured in the tax net. They should support the government by paying their taxes when due to help them better.”
