Ogun Commissioner Says Akute-Agbado Roadwork to Finish Before December. 

Ogun Commissioner Says Akute-Agbado Roadwork to Finish Before December.

Residents along Agbado-Ijoko Road in Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State, say the route’s poor condition has disrupted transport, damaged vehicles and hurt businesses.

During a visit, correspondents observed muddy, pothole-filled sections and stagnant water. Some stretches were barely passable, while others had been abandoned. Vehicles struggled through the mud, and residents said motorists increasingly used adjoining streets as alternative routes, despite those roads also being in poor condition.

It was reported in June that residents of Agbado, Abule-Ijoko, Itoki, Ope-Ilu and nearby communities had complained about deteriorating roads for more than 15 years. The 13-kilometre stretch from Agbado Oja to Abule-Ijoko was described as severely damaged.

Itoki resident Jamiu Raimi, who has lived in the community for 20 years, said a trip to Agbado that once took about 10 minutes could now take more than an hour. He said buses had become scarce, forcing people to rely on motorcycles, which he considered unsafe on the damaged road.

“When it rains, it becomes difficult to get buses to take us to our destinations,” Raimi said. He added that transport problems affected his commute to Ojota and sometimes meant he returned home only twice a week. He also claimed that sand previously placed on the road had washed away after rainfall.

Raimi, a landlord, said the road’s condition was driving some residents away and discouraging prospective tenants. He appealed to the government to repair the route, saying transport costs had become difficult to manage.

Trader Modupe Olaniran said moving goods to market now cost more, affecting her business and those of other traders. She also complained that Idiroko Road had been waterlogged and difficult for buses and vehicles to use.

Commercial vehicle operator Alubarika Yinka said buses had stopped using some sections because vehicles frequently broke down. Some residents, he said, had to leave their cars near Agbado Bus Stop because they could no longer drive them home, raising concerns about safety.

Another resident, Tayo Odusanya, said the rainy season made travel worse and increased vehicle repair costs. He added that heavy-duty vehicles could not reach some areas to deliver goods, limiting business activity and visits to residents. Odusanya also alleged that people were charging motorists between N100 and N200 to use alternative routes.

Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Ade Akinsanya said the Akute-Agbado section was being reconstructed, with other sections scheduled for rehabilitation later. He said the project was expected to be completed before December, weather permitting, and that the second layer of asphalt had begun from the Akute end.