As a response to mounting public outcry and deteriorating federal road conditions across Oyo State, the Oyo State House of Assembly has called on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to swiftly address the critical issue of deplorable roads in the state.
The Assembly’s urgent appeal follows a motion brought before the House during Tuesday’s plenary sitting presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Honorable Abiodun Fadeyi.
Mover of the motion, Honorable Sanjo Adedoyin representing Ogbomoso South State Constituency stated that numerous complaints from residents, commuters, and stakeholders in Ogbomoso about the sorry state of federal roads in the geopolitical zone necessitated the move on the floor of the House.
He said, the deplorable federal roads in Ogbomoso has significantly impacted daily lives, businesses, and transportation networks in the zone.
During the plenary sitting, lawmakers from across party lines expressed deep concern over the increasing frequency of accidents and the economic toll caused by the poor federal road infrastructure in the state.
The lawmakers emphasized that the current state of federal roads in Oyo State has reached an intolerable level, citing examples of major highways and intra-city routes within Ogbomoso that are riddled with potholes and are in desperate need of resurfacing and rehabilitation.
The House therefore, appealed to the federal government through the ministry of Works to expedite action on the completion of ongoing Oyo-Ogbomoso Road to reduce pressure on the old Oyo-Ogbomoso Road that passes through Ogbomoso township that usually causes serious gridlock within the area.
The House equally resolved to invite FERMA, South West Zone, to appear before the House to explain circumstances surrounding the deplorable condition of the federal roads that passes through Ogbomoso township, repaired about a year ago as well as an appeal to the federal government to provide palliative on the deplorable federal road that passes through Oju Waska-Seminary-Baptist Hospital-Ogbomoso High School, all within Ogbomoso township in order to ease vehicular movement among others.
The Assembly acknowledged the constitutional mandate of FERMA to maintain federal roads nationwide and called upon the agency to deploy immediate resources and expertise towards repairing and rehabilitation of the affected federal roads not only in Ogbomoso zone but across Oyo State.
The House equally emphasized the importance of timely intervention to prevent further deterioration and mitigate the hardships faced by residents and commuters and its impact on the socioeconomic development of the state.
Speaking to reporters after the session, Hon. Fadeyi reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to ensuring that the welfare and safety of Oyo State residents remain a top priority and urged FERMA to act swiftly and decisively, assuring that the House would closely monitor the progress of road repairs to ensure effectiveness.
Similarly, the House has called on the Oyo state government to create a Fire Service Station across the 33 Local Government Areas in the state for quick response to emergency situations.
The call followed a motion brought before the House on Tuesday by Honorable M. Azeez representing Kajola state Constituency.
Lawmakers in there deliberation on the motion described the call as timely and long overdue stressing the need for collaborative efforts between the state and Local Governments.
