Residents of six communities in the Ido-Osun area of Egbedore Local Government, Osun State, staged a protest on Friday over the poor quality of a 4.76km road recently constructed in their area. The road, which spans multiple communities, was built under the World Bank-supported Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), co-funded by the Federal and Osun State governments.
According to the protesters, the road was tarred just last Sunday, but parts of it were already washed away following heavy rainfall, highlighting what they described as substandard execution. The project was reportedly awarded to a contractor based in Osogbo.
Carrying placards with messages such as “We say no to roads without drainage and stonebase,” “We need quality roads in Aduramigba,” and “We reject corruption in RAAMP projects,” the demonstrators called for urgent government intervention.
Mr. Sunday Ogundele, Chairman of the Aduramigba Community, expressed disappointment in both the contractor and the supervising consultants. He questioned how a road could be constructed on a mud base without proper drainage, especially when the governor had earlier promised a quality job.
“The quality of this road is extremely poor. Tarring only began last Sunday and Monday, yet by Thursday, some sections were already washed away by rain,” he said. “When Governor Adeleke visited in March, he assured us the road would include proper drainage and a stonebase. Unfortunately, that promise was not fulfilled.”
Ogundele added that the affected road is vital as it connects several communities, including Igi-Gogoro, Unity Estate, Okini, Ifon, Ilobu, and Erin. “This type of road would never be accepted in the Governor’s hometown,” he added.
In response to the protest, Governor Ademola Adeleke directed the Ministry of Works to carry out an immediate review of the project. A delegation comprising officials from the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Rural Development, and the Osun RAAMP office visited the site for an on-the-spot assessment and engaged with community members.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke ordered a full review and directed that remedial actions be taken immediately in accordance with best engineering practices.
“The team delivered the Governor’s message and commitment to ensuring that the road meets acceptable standards. Steps will be taken to rectify the issues without delay,” the statement said.
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