The member of the House of Representatives representing Oluyole federal constituency, Oyo State, in the lower chamber of the National Assembly, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, has raised an alarm over the deplorable state of the Olomi Olojuoro, Ijebu-Igbo Ita Egba-Owonowen road.
Speaking at plenary, the lawmaker urged the House to mandate the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to ensure the termination of the contract for the road, awarded to DC Engineering Limited.
Akande-Sadipe averred that the road, which serves as a crucial link between Oyo and Ogun states, has tragically turned into a death trap, posing significant risks to the lives and safety of road users.
Hon. Akande-Sadipe brought to light the numerous petitions and complaints from constituents, recounting how the road’s deteriorating condition has led to multiple accidents and fatalities.
She said, “The once vital transportation route has now become virtually impassable, inflicting untold hardship on the people, hampering economic activities, and negatively impacting the local economy.”
Noting that despite yearly budgetary allocations and disbursement of funds to the contractor, the Olomi-Olojuoro road remains in a state of disrepair, shattering the hopes of the community for timely rehabilitation, Akande-Sadipe said that the contractors have continuously failed to execute the necessary construction and rehabilitation works, leaving the people to suffer the consequences of their inaction.
She told her colleagues, “The gravity of the situation cannot be ignored. The Olomi Olojuoro, Ijebu-Igbo Ita Egba-Owonowen road’s poor state has inflicted severe socio-economic consequences on the constituents and surrounding communities, causing transportation difficulties and impeding access to essential services. The Olomi Olojuoro road has become a death trap, claiming lives daily, and this demands urgent intervention.”
With an urgent call to action, the honorable member moved for the setting up of an ad-hoc committee of the House to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the contractors’ consistent failure to fulfill their contractual obligations.
She added that such investigation will thoroughly scrutinize the construction and rehabilitation of the Olomi Olojuoro road and review the yearly budget allocations for the project.
She added, “To ensure transparency and accountability, the ad-hoc committee must be mandated to provide regular updates to the House on the progress of the Olomi Olojuoro road construction project.”
Akande-Sadipe, in her prayers, added that the contractor’s inability to deliver on its obligations led to the road’s current dire state, and as such, a competent company should be entrusted with the rehabilitation and construction project.
Due to a meeting between the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu and all female national lawmakers at the Villa, Hon. Olumide Osoba from Ogun State kindly stood in for Hon. Akande-Sadipe and read the motion on the floor of the National Assembly in accordance with the law.
