Residents along the Agbado-Ijoko Road in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State have lamented the deplorable condition of the route, saying it has crippled businesses and disrupted transportation.
They said the poor state of the road had made movement difficult for motorists, commuters, traders and residents across Agbado, Abule-Ijoko, Itoki, Ope-Ilu and neighbouring communities.
According to residents, the road has remained in poor condition for several years, with some sections now barely motorable or completely impassable.
Agbado-Ijoko Road Becomes Difficult to Navigate
During a recent visit to the communities, some portions of the Agbado-Ijoko Road were observed to be covered in mud and riddled with potholes.
Stagnant floodwater had also taken over sections of the route, while some vehicles were seen struggling through muddy areas.
Residents said motorists had been forced to use adjoining streets as alternative routes, although several of those roads were also in poor condition.
A resident of Itoki, Jamiu Raimi, who said he had lived in the community for 20 years, recalled that travelling from his residence to Agbado previously took about 10 minutes.
He said the same journey could now take more than an hour, particularly during the rainy season.
Raimi, who works in Ojota, said the scarcity of buses had forced many residents to rely on motorcycles despite safety concerns linked to the poor road condition.
He also said the transportation difficulties had affected his commute, adding that he sometimes returned home only twice a week because of the difficulty of getting transportation after work.
Agbado-Ijoko Road Hurts Businesses and Property Market
Residents said the deteriorating Agbado-Ijoko Road had also affected businesses and the local property market.
A trader in Rafco, Mrs. Modupe Olaniran, said she had been spending more money transporting goods because of the condition of the road.
She said the additional transportation costs had negatively affected her business and those of other traders in the area.
Olaniran also claimed that some property owners were selling their houses because of the road situation, while some prospective tenants were reluctant to rent properties in the affected communities.
Another resident, Alubarika Yinka, a commercial vehicle operator living in Opeilu, said buses had stopped using some sections of the Agbado-Ijoko Road.
He said vehicles that attempted to use the affected portions frequently broke down, forcing motorists to seek alternative routes.
Yinka added that some residents who could no longer drive their vehicles to their homes had resorted to parking them around Agbado Bus Stop.
Agbado-Ijoko Road Worsens During Rainfall
Tayo Odusanya said the condition of the Agbado-Ijoko Road became worse during the rainy season.
According to him, commercial vehicle operators were spending more on repairs, while businesses were also losing customers.
He said heavy-duty vehicles could no longer access some sections of the road to deliver goods, affecting commercial activities in the area.
Odusanya also alleged that some individuals had begun collecting between N100 and N200 from motorists using alternative routes.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, said the Akute-Agbado section of the Agbado-Ijoko Road was undergoing reconstruction.
He said other sections would be rehabilitated subsequently.
Akinsanya added that the project was expected to be completed before December, subject to weather conditions.
He also said the second layer of asphalt had commenced from the Akute end of the road.
For residents and business owners, the completion of the reconstruction remains important as transportation difficulties and the poor road condition continue to affect movement and commercial activities in the area.
credit: Punchng.com
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