Kwara South residents excited over completion of some rural roads
* Say action forced down prices of farm produce
By Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
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It was excitement among the people of the seven local government areas in the Kwara South Senatorial District as the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has completed construction and rehabilitation works on several rural roads in the District, resulting in the drastic curbing of rural-urban migration.
A cross section of the people who were in jubilant mood have listed the benefits they are deriving from the rural roads constructed and rehabilitated in the area in the last three years.
Speaking with the New Telegraph in separate interviews, the people, who included community leaders, youths and other residents of the area, said that both the township and rural roads in Ifelodun, Irepodun, Offa, Oyun, Oke Ero, Ekiti and Isin local government areas have opened up their various communities to socioeconomic and tourism opportunities, hitherto lacking.
The people lamented that prior to the construction and rehabilitation of the terrible and dilapidated roads by the present administration, the rural roads had caused a lot of health challenges to the people, such as catarrh, cough and asthma, among other ailments, because of dusts they inhaled, adding that they now heave a sigh of relief with the new asphalted roads.
Speaking on the completed 2.3 kilometre Oro Ago-Oyate asphalt road project in the Ifelodun local government area executed by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s administration, the deputy chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the area, Oladiran Aweda, said that the project had forced down prices of farm produce, saying that two tubers of yam that were sold for N2,000 before the road was constructed now go for N700 because of easy access to farm sites.
To this end, the union has appealed to the governor to assist them in procuring new vehicles to ply the route to further boost economic activities of the people of the local government area.
“We want to appeal to Goverrnor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to assist us with vehicles so that we can ply the route. Trailers are now coming into Oro-Ago to load farm produce like yam, maize to other parts of the state because our road is now good and the farmer can access farm and market easily. We thank Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for this,” said the deputy chairman who was flanked by other members of the union.
In Esie, in the Irepodun local government area of the state, a cross section of road users and residents who spoke said that Esie-Iludun completed asphalt road executed by the present administration had opened up business opportunities for residents as new lock up shops are now springing up along that road.
A resident of the area, Mrs, Ayo Grace, said the road, which leads to the ancient Esie National museum had boosted tourism, adding that selling and buying has tremendously improved in the area due to the new asphalt road.
However, at Owode-Ofaro community, residents lamented the hardship they were going through as a result of the collapsed bridge in the area said to be receiving attention of the government.
Olu of the community, who spoke through, High Chief Malacai Ibiwoye Atolagbe, said that farmers used camels and donkeys to convey farm produce during harvest period instead of vehicles as a result of the collapsed bridge.
The community leader, who said that the bridge was swept away by flood in 2018, appealed to the Governor to ensure the completion of the collapsed bridge before the raining season sets in.