Residents of several communities in Etioni, Atakunmosa East Local Government Area of Osun State have called on the state government to repair their roads.
The residents, who lamented the difficulties they face in transporting farm produce to nearby towns, urged the government to prioritize the construction of their roads.
The affected communities include Alarere, Itapa, Ajido, Olora, Odogbo, Aladodo, Owode, Oko Ago, and Ajumobi.
The residents, whose main occupation is farming, said they are now forced to trek for hours on major roads to reach their farms daily.
Speaking to our correspondent, the Chairman of the Fruits Sellers Association in Etioni, Mr. Dauda Oyebode, popularly known as Ya Lateef, appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration for assistance.
While commending the governor for his achievements over the past two years, Oyebode noted that aside from the roads, which have been neglected for years, the bridge linking Alarere to other communities has collapsed, with no efforts made to repair it.
He said, “The roads have been in a deplorable state for years. The situation worsened this rainy season due to erosion.”
Oyebode added that residents of the affected areas have been cut off from major communities because of the poor condition of the roads. He also expressed concern about the loss of livelihoods among residents as a result of the situation.
Farmers who spoke to our correspondent believe that fixing the access roads would ease the burden of transporting produce from their farms to the markets.
A motorcyclist, Temitayo Ibikunle, attributed the high cost of transportation to the bad roads and rising fuel prices.
“I don’t like using this road. If you can’t pay my fare, I’d rather not take the trip because the road is terrible. It damages our bikes, and fuel is expensive too,” he said.
Our correspondent observed that the roads were in poor condition, with many commuters struggling as they maneuvered to avoid the marshy areas and potholes.
