Though, the saying goes that a country is not developed by constructing bridges, houses or roads but it is developed only if the brains of the people living in that country are developed, but nevertheless, it is a widely known fact that roads are the arteries through which the economy pulses. By linking producers to markets, workers to jobs, students to school, and the sick to hospitals, roads are vital to any development agenda.
The effects of roads in any local community can never be undermined or trivialized but crucial to the growth of every aspect of the residents.
To show their grievances towards the inconveniences bad roads have caused to them, the residents of Iree, a town under Boripe Local Government area, Osun state have lamented over the poor road that have been affecting their business and also causing low patronage in the Palace Market community.
In an interview with Lagos Local News correspondent in Osun state, Nigeria, the residents complained about the annoying scenario that the bad road had caused over the years.
Though, some residents noted that the government have for some months been constructing the other roads that lead to the main road of the town, but added that the neglected road of the Market Community has been an albatross to their sales as people are not passing the place nor living there like before.
Speaking about the bad roads, Adeniran Tawa, a trader selling in the road side of the area noted that social amenities are the main comfort gained from living in a community, or any environment, and also expatiate that without such everyone will be feeling reluctant to living in the environment or passing there.
"Nobody will want to live where there is a bad road, and there won't be business, and money. If social amenities like water, electricity and water is lacking in a society, there won't be development"
Tawa, aggressively purging out her mind noted that It's been a while they have erected the road, explaining that it was only the gutter she could remember they constructed some years back.
"It's been some years they have just constructed the gutter, without doing the drainage and constructing the road".
Budget on Road Construction in Osun State
It should be noted that the Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola has allocated N129, 756,450,790:00 to the Osun State Assembly as draft approbation bill for Osun State 2022 fiscal year.
On the 5th of October, as reported by the business day news, the governor considered the bad roads in the state, hence the need to allocate a bigger portion for the Infrastructure Sector in his budget.
Oyetola allocated N19 billion to the Infrastructure Sector, making it the sector that received the highest allocation of the budget.
The governor stated that some places that needs to be reconstructed in his allocation which includes; 18.1km Osogbo – Kelebe – Iragbiji Road (including Orita Idiodan – Araromi – Anaye Mkt.); Rehabilitation of 25.8km Ede (Army Barrack) – Ara – Ejigbo Township Road; Construction of 0.68km Flyover at Olaiya, Osogbo; Rehabilitation of 1.3km Kuta Palace junction – Isale Oba Road – Asamu Junction Road; Rehabilitation of 2.3km Iloro – Aganun – Division C Police Headquarter, Ile-Ife; Reconstruction and completion of 8.1km Moro-Yakoyo-Ipetumodu-Asipa Road; Rehabilitation of 2.6km Nike Gallery – Ido – Osun Township airport with palace spur; Rehabilitation of 2.5km Ikirun – Eko-Ende Road; as well as the construction of 0.31km access road to Fountain University, Osogbo.
It should also be noted that to fulfill his promise, the governor had earlier this year walked down some places in Osogbo to discern the roads concerned in the part of road construction.
Unfortunately, despite the fact that the Iree-Iba road and some roads in the town have been constructed and some are still under construction, Market area which is considered as one of the worst roads has not been remembered as it gets worse everyday.
Residents' Plight.
Muhammad Ibrahim, a farmer who claimed that some other roads in the town are not good noted that the road has been in a state of disrepair for long without any attempt to repair it.
He said, "The road is very bad and in disrepair, sometimes they say they want to repair road from yaro and Oke aree side but this important road is not repaired and many other roads in the town are not good"
Speaking further, Ibrahim explained that there's an area called Koko in Iree where the students pass to school, but the road has been damaged leading to accidents and high cost of bikes.
"From Iree to Koko side, the road is very bad and bike men are passing the place, the gallops are there and the students are suffering.
If the state can do it it will favour the students and others. The one constructed before was not strong enough, that's why it got damaged on easily"
Ibrahim added that erosion is the cause of the damaged road because there's no drainage.
He therefore urged the government especially the incoming governor to find something to do and attend to the needs of the people by constructing the road.
In her own reaction, Bibitayo Adesokan who claimed to be a farmer explained that most of her harvest form the farm are conveyed home by head, because motorcyclists are afraid of passing through the damaged road.
She said, "We really appreciate the one they did and we want them to also do the remaining ones. What happens is that if those corners are enlarged, there will be space for bikes and motorcycles to pass at the same time. They have repaired the road from Yaro to Asalu street but the one here which leads to the palace from the town hall. We urge the government to help us do it."
"The road is rough, sometimes when I go to market, the bike will not be able to convey me back home. This corner does cause accidents, sometimes I will be The one playing the role of road safety stopping different bike men for them not to hit themselves"
Speaking further, Bibitayo affirmed that the government have forgotten them in the area, adding that the road has been there for
"I don't think they have done it before and even if they did, it's been long"
She therefore pleaded with the government to construct the road to make it look attractive, commended their effort on the one they have done.
Moreover, Falilat Olatooyan, a residents who noted that the road have been in a worst state for over four years, added that the bad road is a great disaster to their business.
He said "It is up to 4 years that the road has been like that, which is not good, it's affecting our business, like bringing markets here and there's no where people will pass, motorcycliss and even mini bus, Korope will not convey someone to this place.
"The transport fare we pay has increased rapidly"
Falilat beseeched the government to help in constructing the road so as to avoid huge amount of transport fare.
"We urge the government to help us construct the road to ensure the smooth flow of business here and to prevent us from paying additional charges on bikes"
Meanwhile, an 80 years old woman, Aminah Adenihun complained about low sales in her trading work. She lamented that the road has done more harm and no good to the people tlof the community.
"I have been here and I have not been making sales because people are no longer passing through this place, people only go to where the road is good and the road has been here for over 4 years", she said
However, Aminah implored the government to construct the road like others that are under construction so people can patronise their business.
Moreso, Mulikat Olatooyan, a trader and a resident of the place asserted that road the road has been constructed during the era of Olagunsoye-Oyinlola, the People's Democratic Party led Administration in 2004-2012.
"The road is affecting us in different ways. It was last constructed before the Olagunsoye-Oyinlola led Administration, it's the governor Oyetola Administration that is taking care of the place now, and we also want them to do this one as well. I want the government to help us construct this road"
Kudirat Ajekale lamented, "What I can say is that the government should help us construct this road, it often cause accident for the bike men, and even little children that are passing by sometimes fall victim. Bike sometimes always pass where we pedestrians are passing, the road has been there since Olagunsoye-Oyinlola led Administration"
She explained that when those people in tbe palace were frustrated by the current state of the road, they jolted into action by erecting gutter to prevent erosion.
"It is those palace that are contributing money to construct the place. We want the government to help us do it like the oke aree road.
He reiterated that the road leads to different area and still it is in a state of disrepair.
He pleaded with tbe government to help in constructing the road.
Adeleke Wasiu, art and design ad a teacher "when they constructed this road, Oloye chief aina that was the chairman then constructed the road and he has tried to construct the road but the budget is on it already but there are many roads that the government is doing currently a d he will do it one after the other. Because the Youth, the king's children have written letter to the government and they said no problem, they will do it. But when the work is getting delayed, they have so tried to do it themselves. The road has been here for the past five years and I can assure you that the government will do it very soon. It is possible they do it before the end of his tenure because when the commissioner for work, omowaye and the governor came here, they agreed that they will construct the road and I believe our governor is an honest man.
Olatooyan Ibrahim, tailoring "what I can say as regards the road is that the government has come here and it is part of the budget of the government.
Though it is affecting us in different ways because we hardly make sales and it delays the market brought here sometimes, but tbe government is doing something to it.
Before, the walia road to here before they constructed it, they passed here and it made the road worse and they will claim they can't come here. We only go out to meet customers they rarely come here
We urge the government to not forget us and fulfill their promises as regards the road.
Apostle Jacob pastor, " our road is not good, from that junction to are compound, if there's anything you can do, please do. Tbe road has been there for a long time. It's affecting us in many ways as bike men add additional charges
We urge the government to help us do it on time.
A fish seller, Aaishat Ajoje who narrated her experience when bringing bundle of fish from the market explained that she was about to fall with her fish, adding that it cost her some injuries .
She said, "I want the government to help us do it, the road has been there for a long. The local government officials are seeing it everyday and they cannot do anything about it".
Rafat Lawal affirmed, ``It's affecting us because it causes accidents, if the government helps us for our own goods. The road has been there since the regime of the first king of Omotosho. Since then no one has done it. We plead the government to construct the road for us"
Iyabo Omotosho "The bad road is affecting us in different ways, sometimes if we go to the market, we might just jam a pothole it has been there for a long.
She added that she wish the government can construct it like others that they are doing.
A fashion designer, Saheed Folorunsho, complained that some of his customers go to other aces that there is good road.
He said, "The road is affecting us and we are not pleased with it because motors are not able to come inside and it's very risky for the bike man. The one aree road has been constructed and we also want tbe government to construct the road.
We urged them to help us erect the road. It's affecting other people.
Government's Reactions
An attempt to reach the Osun state commissioner for works was futile as he didn't pick calls nor reply messages as at tbe time of filling this report.
