Following the heavy downpour experienced in the State and the washing away of culverts and bridges in the Ibarapa zone, the Ministry of Works and Transport team, led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, Hon. Seyi Adeleye and the Chairman, Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA), Hon. Busoye Ogunlade embarked on an inspection to the Otumo Bridge along Lanlate-Eruwa road in Ibarapa East Local Government, Lanlate and assured residents of immediate reconstruction of the bridge.
While answering question from news men after the inspection on Wednesday evening, Hon. Adeleye explained that the team embarked on the inspection in order to have a correct assessment of the work and also identify an alternative route to restore transportation pending the time a total replacement will be done.
He said, “We have visited five sites, one or two of them are major that have just recently happened, others have occurred for a while and we have some on the alternative route.
“While most of the culverts have been washed away, some will need total replacement and we also saw an opportunity for palliative and repair.
“We have taken cognisance of the fact that this is an agriculture dependent area and that there are heavy trucks and teeming youths population plying the area. So, when we return, we will come up with plan and some will be an immediate action but the first thing is to provide an alternative route and some are already ongoing by the Local Government particularly on the Eruwa-Lanlate road while the State Government will also assist.”
The Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA) Chairman, Honourable Busoye Ogunlade in his response to questions from journalists described the the bridge collapse as an unfortunate accident which needed quick intervention.
Speaking during the inspection, the Chairman Ibarapa East Local Government, Honourable Obalowo Olugbenga Abiodun said that the sad thing is that the rain affected most roads that link adjourning town making it unmotorable and inaccessible, as the road is the main road that linked Lanlate community.
“Another road called Oke -Ipin that could have served as an alternative road is also not accessible again, the students that want to sit for NECO examination on Tuesday could not participate in writing the examination as they could not ply the damaged road.
“Also the residence of Temidire village whose main occupation is farming are stranded in their villages because the road cannot be plied again and this has caused their farm produce to be damaged on the farmlands,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the community landlords Association, Mr. Majengbasun Adebayo Stephen said the residents have been experiencing the menace of flooding along that road for the past five years.
He appealed to the Oyo state Government to come to their aids,
stressing that the washed away culvert which was constructed in 1971 has expired, as it could not withstand the massive flow of water again.
