By Dayo Johnson, Akure

A member of the House of Representatives, representing for Idanre/ Ifedore constituency, Hon. Festus Akingbaso, has commenced the repair of the Owena axis of the Akure/ Ondo road after it was cut- off by heavy rainfall.

For weeks, motorists, commuters and traders, were left stranded at a bad portion of Akure-Ondo road which was cut off following heavy rain at the Owena axis of the road.

The development led to serious traffic jams as many motorists were forced to turn back while others coming from Akure also turned back and travelled as far as Akure-Ilesa road to find an alternative route before getting to Ondo town.

However, following the intervention of the lawmaker, motorists and other road users plying the Akure-Ondo road heaved a sigh of relief.

They lauded the efforts of the lawmaker describing the development as soothing, saying despite the area being outside the lawmaker’s constituency.

One of the motorists, Alabi Adeleke, said ” I was so excited today to see men working on the bad spot of the road. Motorists and travellers have been spending hours here while some sleep on the road.

“I want to commend the lawmaker from Idanre/Ifedore federal Constituency, Hon. Akingbaso, despite this place not being under his constituency, directed that the place should be rehabilitated.

“I spent about five hours for a ten-minute journey to Owena and heavy vehicles have been spending days here because of the bad portion. The experience of the last five days has been harrowing and distressing, but we appreciate the lawmaker for his intervention”

A marketer, with a farm, Adesunmbo Adebayo, lamented the poor condition of the federal roads in the state and said there was a need for urgent action from FERMA.

Adebayo said motorists and travellers have been trapped along the highway for five days as a result of a deep portholes which has made movement difficult.

He said “We have been here for the past three days and our goods have been stuck here for days while customers have been waiting for us to deliver the goods in Abuja.

“We are happy that the temporary measure was taken but I want to call on the state and Federal Government to repair all roads to help our business.

“I want to specifically commend the lawmaker who offered to provide this temporary measure adopted to make the road accessible.”

Speaking on his efforts to fix the road, Akingbaso, said that “the palliative measures became necessary as the poor condition of the road continue to pose serious challenge to residents of the area, damaging their vehicles and threatening their sources of livelihood.

The lawmaker who directed that the bad portion be filled with stones noted that vehicles have been spending hours on the section of the road which also endangered the evacuation of farm produce from the area to the market and towns.