Egba Economic Summit Urges Minister Of Works To Rescue Abandoned Abeokuta-Ajebo-Alapako Road Project

ABEOKUTA – The Egba Economic Summit Group has appealed to the Minister of Works, Mr. Dave Umahi to expedite action on the completion of the Abeokuta-Idi Aba-OGTV-Ajebo-Obafemi Express Road project.

In a letter addressed to the minister, the group’s president, Dr. Gbenga Adeoye, expressed concern over the slow pace of work on the project, which was awarded during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to Dr. Adeoye, the road, which passes through the Federal Medical Centre in Abeokuta and the newly established Federal University of Medicine and Medical Sciences (FUMMSA), is crucial for the economic development of Egbaland and Ogun State.

The Egba Economic Summit Group is a non-partisan organization committed to promoting economic development in Egbaland and Ogun State.

The letter highlighted several reasons why the project should be prioritized, including its potential to decongest traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, create an industrial hub in Ajebo town, and improve access to the FUMMSA permanent site.

The Egba Economic Summit Group also expressed concern that the contractor may have compromise on the standard of the road, particularly in rural areas, and urged the minister to ensure that the project is completed to the highest standards.

The group commended the minister’s efforts on other projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the night repairs of the Sango-Abeokuta Road.

“The project has dragged on for too long, and it’s affecting the people of Abeokuta and the surrounding communities. We urge the minister to take urgent action to ensure the speedy completion of the road,” Dr. Adeoye stated.

“We appreciate the minister’s commitment to improving Nigeria’s infrastructure, and we look forward to seeing the completion of this project soon,” Dr. Adeoye said.

Dr. Adeoye in the letter copied to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Senate President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Alake of Egbaland, said the completion of the project is expected to have a significant impact on the economy of Egbaland and Ogun State, including improved access to the FUMMSA permanent site, creation of an industrial hub in Ajebo town, decongestion of traffic on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, and enhanced economic activity in the region.

The Egba Economic Summit Group urged the Minister of Works to take urgent action to ensure the speedy completion of the Abeokuta-Idi Aba-OGTV-Ajebo-Obafemi Express Road project.

The group also called on the government to provide adequate funding for the project and ensure that it is completed to the highest standards.

He said the Egba Economic Summit Group would continue to monitor the progress of the project and urge the government to take necessary actions to ensure its completion.

“We bring warm greetings to you and your entire team on the various Renewed Hope Projects going on across the country. One of it, is the Lagos Calabar Coastal Highway which also passed through Ijebu Water Side in Ogun State as well as the award of Badagry Sokoto Road which passed through Soyoye Rounder area in Abeokuta. The night repairs of Sango-Abeokuta Road is also worthy of note and commendable. We appreciate that.

“Egba Economic Summit Group is a non-partisan body whose sole aim is economic development; and as such, we commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR and the performing members of the cabinet which includes you as the minister of works.

“While we have a duty to commend the government when we see performance, we also have a collective duty imposed on us as Egba people to call the attention of government to any project(s) that is of economic importance especially where execution of such project (s) is slow, stagnant and sometimes, not even conceived.

“In view of the above, we hereby call your attention to the slow pace of work on ABEOKUTA IDI-ABA-OGTV-AJEBO-OBAFEMI-EXPRESS ROAD which passed through the Federal Medical Centre in Abeokuta all the way through OGTV to Obafemi and Ajebo to link Lagos Ibadan Express Way.

“We also request that you ensure the designed standard is not lowered after the segment that passed through Abeokuta City, especially in areas that passed through villages as contractors have a way of dropping standards after leaving the main city, thereby reducing durability in some parts of the road.

“The project has dragged for too long having been awarded during the administration of President Buhari. The segment in the town from Federal Medical Centre up to Chrisland University appears good but shortly after, it has become difficult for people to drive through.

“The road is an alternative road to the old Ibadan Abeokuta road via Apata, Bakatari, Ilugun and Odeda to Adatan in Abeokuta and that also need attention.

“The road is capable of transforming the economic landscape of Obafe-Ajebo area in that, the diversion of the road at Owojo to pass through Oyebola to Alapako- Oni will create an industrial hub around Ajebo town and villages like, Erunwon, Abiona Mosafejo and Olosun among others.

“The road is useful in decongesting regular traffic and gridlocks at Ogere axis of Lagos Ibadan expressway as motorist going to Abeokuta from Ibadan and vice versa will not need to drive through Abeokuta-Sagamu Interchange.

“Excavation done on the road has now made life very difficult for motorist, whereas it was a smooth drive through as well as a short-cut to Ibadan when it was constructed by the administration of Chief Olusegun Osoba during his tenure as the governor of Ogun State.”