Dr. Dare Akande
Ado-Awaye, Iseyin- As a constituent, I am concerned about the magnitude of an unfathomable negative impact and untold hardship that the current condition of Oyo-Iseyin road has brought to Oyo North Senatorial constituency- a population of 10 Local Government Areas of Oke-Ogun geopolitical zone of Oyo state. I am urging you to act now as the power to fix this road is in your hands.
Known Facts
– Oyo – Iseyin road is the gateway /corridor to all the 10 Local Government in Oke-Ogun (Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Kajola, Iwajowa, Atisbo, Saki-West, Saki-East, Orelope, Olorunsogo, & Irepo.
– Oke-Ogun is not only the food basket of Oyo state but also the geological basement of Nigeria in terms of Solid minerals.
– The deplorable state of Oyo-Iseyin road has sub-optimized great investment opportunities in; Tourism, Mining and Agriculture.
– Families have distanced themselves from taking a risk of visiting their ancestral homes due to the known agonies and difficulties of navigating Oyo-Iseyin road
– The largest cassava farm in the southwest region of Nigeria is in Iseyin local government area.
– Farmers are not able to transport produce to major cities and commercial capitals due to bad roads
– Major farm settlement (Fashola Farm settlement) which is also served by Oyo -Iseyin Road is also feeling the heat. How can we benefit from the Agricultural reforms of President Muhammadu Buhari and the Strategic Agricultural investments of Engineer Seyi Makinde if the farm settlement is not accessible?
Challenges and Popular Arguments:
– There is no provision in the 2020 appropriation budget to fix Oyo-Iseyin corridor
– The road contract was awarded by the previous governments, but the contractors are nowhere to be found
– The previous government did nothing for 16 years
Differed Maintenance Culture
Agreed, this problem is carbon-dated back to the ’80s. In early 90s, during the rainy season, no vehicle was strong enough to complete end-to-end journey from Oyo to Iseyin without berthing at Ogun River for an onward delivery of passengers to the local crossers/ fishermen that subsequently carry passengers on their back and risk their lives to cross the flooded Ogun River to the other side.
If memory serves, a popular retired police officer- cum transporter nicknamed “Nigeria nfe- Adura” (Nigeria needs Payer) perished with over 30 passengers mostly women and children on their way to fortnight markets in Iseyin. If urgent action is not taken, God forbids another horrendous tragedy in waiting.
Recent Awareness Campaign
Major television outlets; BBC-Africa, TVC, AIT, and many commentators have taken their cameras to cover the deplorable state of the road. As if this was not enough, just last week, the commercial drivers barricaded Oyo-Iseyin road to protest their grievances for many days. I believe this is a warning sign to all the political office holders in the Oke-Ogun region.
Potential Solutions
We want you to succeed, and we are determined to do our best to assist you as constituents – in effect, I want you to consider the following suggestions. – Your only Constituency project now is Oyo-Iseyin Road
– We know there is no provision for Oyo- Iseyin Road in 2020 budget
– There are only two repair options left for Oyo-Iseyin federal road. Although Oyo State House of Assembly has taken a bold step to proffer solution to this problem by inviting FERMA representatives to provide status report and find an immediate solution to this problem, I will encourage OYSHA to ask FERMA, is there an existing feasibility study on OYO-Iseyin road- this will be a useful instrument to debate the need to fix this problem at any level of the Government
– The National Assembly members in Oyo North Senatorial districts Hon. Shina Peller, Hon. Olumide Ojerinde, Hon Olatunbosun, Sen. Fatai Buhari (representing Oyo North Senatorial District) and Honorable Akeem Adeyemi of Oyo Federal Constituency should come up with a strategy to harmonize and consolidate your constituency project funds through the Office of the SGF and channel it towards rehabilitation/reconstruction of Oyo- Iseyin road – since the constituency project allowance does not go to any legislator directly. I appeal to you to act on this request immediately, call a town hall meeting to inform your constituents of the status of all your efforts.
– The other option is to liaise with Senate committee chairman and House committee chairman on Works and Housing -maybe some horse-trading within your committees to make provision for this road rehab/reconstruction project in the 2020 appropriation.
Finally, this is no longer the time for protest in the media, this is time for action so that you might stand as a beckon of hope, holding the light leading our people to prosperity and peaceful life. Thank you all.
Dr. Dare Akande is a US based indigene of Oke Ogun
