Youths of Akure, the Ondo State capital, have threatened to embark on protest if contractors handling the 15.5km Ijoka/Idanre road and other projects in the metropolis fail to return to sites and complete the projects.
This was contained in a protest letter signed by Dairo Samuel Temitayo, the Convener, addressed to the State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
Thefrontrank reports that the 15.5km Ijoka/Idanre road project was awarded in 2018 by the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
The letter read: “Over the past three years, residents of Akure, the Ondo State Capital, have endured immense hardship due to the inexplicable abandonment of critical road infrastructure projects in key axis of Akure; such as Oda road, the overhead bridge at Shagari Village, and most distressingly, the Ijoka road axis.
“Your Excellency, we’re writing this letter to bring to the fore the deep suffering of the people, and the alarming deplorable state of public infrastructure in these regions. And as a civic responsibility, we the concerned youths of Ijoka have now felt compelled to act through a peaceful protest march to the Government Office.
“As the significance of these roads cannot be overemphasized, Oda Road serves as a vital artery connecting numerous residential communities in Akure, yet its current state is highly deplorable, filled with dust during the dry season and treacherous pools of mud during any rainfall. The Shagari overhead bridge, meant to alleviate traffic congestion and ensure commuter safety now stands in a half-hearted, incomplete state, due to government negligence without any progress.
“At the Ijoka road, the suffering of the people has reached a breaking point. Ijoka Road is a nerve center connecting thousands, from traders and artisans to students and civil servants. Over the past three years, this road has remained a dust-laden trail in the dry season and a deathtrap in the wet season. The people inhale daily clouds of dust, endangering their respiratory health, while the rains bring floods that maroon homes and businesses in layers of thick red mud. Residents are compelled to wade through unsanitary waters, properties destroyed and vehicles break down daily under the strain of navigating what is effectively a seasonal riverbed disguised as a road.
“The consequences are more than inconvenient, they are cruel. We all know that dust doesn’t digest in our lungs. Children fall sick regularly. Market women cry daily. Commercial transporters incur daily losses through damages to their vehicle/motorcycle resulting in high price of transport fares and lives have been lost in accidents directly attributable to the poor state of these roads. This is not just infrastructural collapse; it is an erosion of human dignity and a betrayal of public trust.
“Following the deafening silence and continued abandonment, we the concerned youths of Ijoka comprised of people from Ijomimo, odopo, Sunday bus stop, Ayoni, Davog, and Alakure have resolved to stage a peaceful protest, By blocking motor/motorcycle movement and also a march to the Ondo State Government office continually until our demands are met. This protest is not one of violence, but a symbolic procession of people whose patience has run out.
“Our Demands are:
Immediate resumption and completion of the Ijoka road
Rehabilitation and completion of abandoned roads project in Akure.
Clear project timeline
“We urge the State Government to act swiftly and decisively. The people of Ijoka deserve better and Akure residents deserve the best.
“Development is not a privilege, it is a constitutional right.
“We are calling on the media, civil society organizations, and other concerned citizens of Akure to stand with us. This is not a political movement; it is a cry from a community burdened by years of neglect. We do not seek conflict, but we will no longer remain silent while our futures erode under layers of dust and sludge; the youths in Ijoka have a bright future and we want to live the future in good health!
“And governance must reflect the needs of the people. It is time for the government of Ondo State to rise to its obligations. Let this protest be the beginning of accountability, not another episode of government indifference.”
