By Stella Odueme
The Federal Government has formally flagged off the dualisation of the 56.5-kilometre Ibadan–Ijebu Ode Road, with the Minister of Works, Senator David Nweze Umahi, declaring that the era of temporary repairs on the strategic corridor is over.
Umahi made the declaration at the flag-off ceremony held at the Open Field of Legacy Estate, Ibadan, Oyo State, his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Francis Nwaze, said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Minister said the project represented a shift towards the delivery of durable road infrastructure under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, describing the route as a critical economic corridor linking Oyo and Ogun states.
“Today marks the end of an era of temporary fixes on this vital corridor. Under the visionary leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we are building roads that will outlive generations,” he said.
According to him, the 56.5-kilometre dualisation is not merely a road construction project but a major economic intervention designed to unlock the agricultural and commercial potential of the Lagos-Ogun-Oyo axis.
He said the completed project would reduce travel time, improve connectivity and address security challenges, including kidnapping, which had been associated with deteriorated portions of the road.
The project, approved by the Federal Executive Council and awarded to JRB Construction Limited, is expected to strengthen one of the major transportation links between Oyo and Ogun states.
Umahi commended JRB Construction Limited for its work on the corridor, describing the company as a leading indigenous contractor and noting the scale of ongoing earthworks.
Representing President Tinubu at the ceremony, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, described the project as an important economic link between the two neighbouring states.
Abiodun said the project was “more than just a flag-off,” stressing that the corridor was vital to the economic relationship between Oyo and Ogun states.
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, also welcomed the project, saying farmers and traders had endured significant hardship using the road over the years.
He thanked President Tinubu for recognising the strategic importance of the corridor and commended Umahi for advancing the Federal Government’s infrastructure agenda.
Umahi Moves to Benin–Asaba, Ifaki–Kabba Roads
Shortly after the flag-off, Umahi disclosed plans to visit the Benin–Agbor–Asaba Road to engage stakeholders and seek solutions to the difficulties currently faced by road users.
He said the challenges on the road were linked to an earlier attempt to involve the private sector in road development, alleging that the concessionaire had removed more than 30 kilometres of asphalt before abandoning the project.
The Minister said he would engage the independent engineer, the Federal Government’s legal representatives, the concessionaire and the Edo State Government to find a lasting solution.
Umahi also announced that the Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Bello Goronyo, would visit the Ifaki–Kabba Road in Ekiti and Kogi states to assess its condition and report back to the President.
He recalled that President Tinubu had personally raised concerns about the condition of the road in 2024 and directed that steps be taken to address the situation.
The Minister said the road had since been redesigned and that the visit by the Minister of State would help determine the next steps towards its rehabilitation.
Umahi further urged Nigerians to recognise the scale of road construction and rehabilitation being undertaken by the Tinubu administration, saying critical road projects were ongoing across the country.
He said every region was benefiting from the Federal Government’s infrastructure drive, adding that there was no part of the country that had been deliberately neglected.
The ceremony ended with the official ground-breaking of the Ibadan–Ijebu Ode dualisation project, performed by Governor Abiodun on behalf of President Tinubu.