Ondo oil producing communities decry bad roads

ONe of the aims of the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) is to tackle the most visible problem in the oil communities – bad roads. But the interventionist agency seems not to be making the desired impact on the area.

Unlike in the upland areas of Ondo State, the coastal communities have no link roads, no electricity and infrastructure despite that they are the golden fish that lays the state’s eggs.

Without the Ilaje and Ese-Odo local government areas, rating Ondo as an oil producer would not be possible.

The state is enjoying oil derivation funds, but the source of that huge windfall is being neglected. Many important roads in the Ondo South Senatorial District, the oil producing region of Ondo, are left in deplorable conditions for the inhabitants to wonder where all their oil money was being spent.

In 2008,OSOPADEC awarded the contract for the construction of Okitipupa-Irele road,which is 10.9km, to SETRACO Nigeria Limited for N4.2billion to ease the problem of transportation in the southern part of the state.

The road, according to initial plan, was to be inaugurated in 2009, but has been abandoned.Besides, OSOPADEC awarded construction of Igbokoda-Ayetoro and Aboto-Olokola road to the same SETRACO Nigeria Limited at a cost of N10billion.

Igbokoda-Ayetoro and Aboto-Olokola roads have since been abandoned by SETRACO, while Ugbonla-Ayetoro road, the only link to communities in the main coastal area, has been neglected.

The Nation’s visit to the area passing through Ode-Mahin was a harrowing experience to behold. The vehicle that conveyed our correspondent broke down because of the deplorable situation of the road.

For a long time, all entreaties by leaders of the communities to the relevant authority to repair or lay asphalt on the road has fallen on deaf ears making life more unbearable to travellers on the road.

This development is also having negative effects on the economic and social lifeline of Ilaje people.

The road was to provide cheap access through Ogun and Lagos states, the commercial nerve centre of the country.

Prospective investors and visitors to the area always think twice before embarking on such journey, as several times the road has caused caused accidents that claimed lives.

At the Okitipupa-Irele road, the bridge designed to link the road has been abandoned since 2009,thereby making the road impassable.

It was observed that the Irele Local Government constructed a wooden bridge to link the extremely bad spots and, unfortunately, the council chairman allegedly imposed a N50 toll for crossing the bridge, thus further compounding the burden of the people.

The Publicity Secretary of Ilaje Forum (IF) Dare Ebimomi urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe how the funds appropriated to OSOPADEC were spent by its chairman and other board members.

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