The Senate, Wednesday, summoned the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, over the deplorable condition of the Old Oyo-Ogbomosho road in Oyo state.
The decision was sequel to a motion of urgent public importance raised by Senator AbdulFatai Buhari (APC Oyo North) at the beginning of the day’s plenary.
Senator Buhari expressed concerns over the hardships faced by travellers due to the poor state of the road, which he noted serves as a crucial link between the Southern and Northern regions of the country.
He pointed out that despite major repair works initiated by the federal government over a decade ago, the road remains in disrepair, frequently causing accidents and leaving travellers stranded in long traffic jams, especially due to the presence of articulated vehicles.
“For over 10 years, despite the federal government initiating major repairs on the road, it remains in a deplorable state, resulting in regular accidents and daily gridlock caused by articulated vehicles.
‘This road, which is less than 500 meters long, has become a deathtrap, responsible for numerous accidents in recent times, as over ten accidents have occurred within just few days, leading to loss of lives, injuries, and devastating impacts on businesses, whereby perishable goods from the north have been ruined, and shipments from ports and companies, amounting to millions of naira, left stranded.
“The non-completion of this few kilometers Road, has been choking the life out of Ogbomoso people and Nigerians at large, as it is a transit road, connecting the people from the North to the South, hence the need for urgent action to be taken to avert further devastation,” he said.
All Senators, who contributed to the debate called on the federal government to take urgent action on the road, especially due to its economic values being the link between the Southern and Northern parts of the country.
In his remarks, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, asked the Minister of Works to appear before the Senate Committee on Works to explain the delays and abandonment of the road project.
He also directed the Senate Committee on Works to report to the plenary within three weeks after engaging the minister.