By Sulaimon Olanrewaju
The recent commissioning of eight feeder roads, totalling 38.48 kilometres, reconstructed within the Ibadan Zone underscores the unwavering commitment of Governor Seyi Makinde to addressing the critical infrastructure deficit in road construction across Oyo State.
While commissioning the feeder roads, Governor Makinde had said: “As a government, our job is to do our best with the little resources we have to keep the residents happy and attract more people to come to our state. This is the way we grow our economy. We also acknowledge that we do not have all the resources at our disposal. So, we cannot meet all our needs at the same time.
“This commissioning today will be the first of many. Our administration earmarked an initial 95.58km of feeder roads for asphaltic improvement and reconstruction in December 2023. This is just half-way through it and they are to be completed within 12 months.
“With over 38km completed and the remaining 57km ongoing, I can rightly say we are over half-way done.”
Since assuming office in May 2019, the Makinde administration has made remarkable progress in improving the road infrastructure in Oyo State. Between June 2019 and May 2023, the government completed 144.37 kilometres of roads. From June 2023 to May 2024, an additional 152.92 kilometres were completed. Adding the recently finished 38.48 kilometres of feeder roads, the Oyo State Government has successfully completed a total of 335.77 kilometres of roads, with another 273.31 kilometres currently under construction. These achievements do not include the numerous road projects undertaken by local government councils throughout the state.
This progress comes at a time when road infrastructure has become a trending issue on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter). While the focus has been on the state of roads in other southwest states, it has inevitably cast a spotlight on Oyo State’s efforts to mitigate its infrastructure deficit. Previous administrations primarily focused on road rehabilitation within the Ibadan Zone, leaving inter-zone commuting difficult and time-consuming due to the dilapidated state of intra-state roads. This not only hindered economic growth outside Ibadan but also placed a heavy reliance on the zone for internally generated revenue.
Governor Makinde recognised that a new approach was needed to unlock Oyo State’s full potential. So, he adopted a strategic plan to allocate resources towards roads critical to the state’s economy, aiming for accelerated development and economic growth. The goal was to connect all zones with motorable roads, thereby opening up other parts of the state to more investments.
Oyo State, being largely agrarian, also needed improved rural roads to facilitate market access for farmers. In July 2019, barely six weeks into office, the Makinde administration paid counterpart funding for the World Bank-assisted Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) project to rehabilitate 1,000 kilometres of rural roads. Once the matching funds are released, the project will commence.
One of the administration’s first major projects was the 65-kilometre Moniya-Iseyin Road, a federal road connecting the Ibadan Zone (the main consumption centre) with the Oke-Ogun Zone (the food basket). Completed in 18 months despite the COVID-19 pandemic, this project leveraged Oyo State’s comparative advantage in agriculture. Subsequently, the government has connected the Oke-Ogun and Oyo Zones by reconstructing another federal road – the 34.85-kilometre Oyo-Iseyin Road, linked the Ibarapa and Oke-Ogun Zones with the limited rehabilitation of the 38-kilometre Igboora-Igangan-Iganna Road, and connected the Oke-Ogun and Ogbomoso Zones with a new 76.67-kilometre road between Iseyin and Ogbomoso. The ongoing rehabilitation of the 48-kilometre Ido-Eruwa Road will further enhance connectivity between the Ibadan and Ibarapa Zones.
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Beyond major inter-zone roads, the Makinde administration has undertaken various road projects across the state, including completing ongoing and abandoned projects inherited from previous administrations. Notable examples include the 12.5-kilometre Challenge-Apata Road, the 9.7-kilometre Saki Township dualisation, and the 5.2-kilometre Gedu-Oroki-Sabo-Asipa Road.
Local government councils have also played a crucial role in road rehabilitation. Projects like the 10.3-kilometre Ido-Omi Adio Road by the Ido Local Government Council, the 14.1-kilometre Eruwa-Lanlate-Maya Road by the Ibarapa East Local Government Council, and the 6-kilometre Idiko-Ile Ayegun Road by the Iwajowa Local Government Council have significantly improved access and connectivity within the state.
With four out of the five zones now connected, the focus has shifted to feeder roads. In 2024 alone, the government awarded contracts for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of 106.41 kilometres of roads in Ibadan, with eight feeder roads totalling 38.48 kilometres already completed. Governor Makinde has assured that similar efforts will be extended to the remaining four zones.
This strategic approach to bridging the infrastructure gap is yielding positive results. Improved connectivity has attracted more businesses to set up operations outside Ibadan, significantly reducing journey times and fostering economic growth. For instance, the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, situated along the reconstructed 34.85-kilometre Oyo-Iseyin Road, is now fully occupied by medium to large-scale businesses.
Increased investments have boosted Oyo State’s internally generated revenue from an average of N1.8 billion monthly in 2019 to N4.9 billion monthly as of Q1 2024. This revenue growth enables the state to allocate more resources to road projects, ensuring continued progress in addressing the infrastructural deficit.
In addition, Oyo State is now seen as the new Lagos for real estate development and other major projects. In fact, hardly would you see a development project being carried out within Nigeria which does not feature Oyo State. All of these are direct and indirect results of Governor Seyi Makinde’s strategic approach to road construction within the state.
As Governor Seyi Makinde has promised, the government is not planning to slow down or rest on its oars. Presently, the government is also constructing the futuristic and ambitious 110-kilometre Circular Road which encircles Ibadan and will take the pressure off inner-city roads, reducing congestion and providing another option for motorists passing through Ibadan to other states. The road will be tolled to raise revenue. Makinde has promised that at least 70 kilometres of the project will be completed before the end of his second tenure.
Truly, the Seyi Makinde administration is working with the mantra, “Where roads go, developments follow,” as it seeks to take the people of Oyo State from poverty to prosperity.
Dr. Olanrewaju is the Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor.
