An Ekiti-born public policy analyst, Dr. Olusola John Ojo, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the Federal Government’s renewed attention to the long-neglected Ado-Ijan-Ilumoba-Ikole federal road, describing the intervention as an important step towards addressing one of Ekiti State’s critical infrastructure challenges.

Ojo said President Tinubu deserved commendation for responding to the longstanding concerns over the deplorable condition of the road, particularly the section providing access to Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD.

He, however, urged the Federal Government to ensure that the intervention translates into a properly reconstructed and durable road that will serve Ekiti residents and the state’s growing economic activities for many years.

According to him, the renewed Federal Government attention to the road demonstrates the importance of persistent advocacy by Ekiti stakeholders, including ABUAD Founder and Chancellor, Aare Afe Babalola, and former Ekiti Central Senator, Babafemi Ojudu.

Ojo said the development should now mark the beginning of a new phase in which the focus shifts from advocacy to effective implementation.

“I want to sincerely commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for listening to the concerns being raised over this road and for giving the project the attention it deserves.

“For years, Ekiti people have been confronted with the consequences of the poor condition of this important federal road. The President’s intervention is therefore welcome and should be appreciated.

“Our appeal now is that the intervention should be followed through to completion and delivered to the required standard,” he said.

The public policy analyst said the road should not be regarded simply as an access route to a private university, stressing that it had become an important economic corridor for Ekiti State.

He noted that the route provides access to several strategic institutions and facilities, including ABUAD, the university’s multi-system hospital, the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, the Ado-Ekiti campus of the National Open University of Nigeria, a Federal Government-owned silo and the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport.

Ojo said the importance of the corridor had increased considerably with the expansion of educational, healthcare, agricultural and commercial activities along the route.

“The road is much bigger than ABUAD.

“It connects education, healthcare, agriculture, aviation, commerce and communities. Its reconstruction should therefore be seen as an investment in Ekiti’s economic future,” he said.

He said good road infrastructure remained fundamental to economic development, noting that poor roads increased transportation costs, vehicle maintenance expenses and travel time while also discouraging investment.

Ojo added that the condition of the road had implications for students, lecturers, patients, workers, farmers, business owners and residents who depend on the route.

He said the Federal Government’s intervention could provide an opportunity to improve the economic value of the entire corridor.

According to him, the proximity of major institutions and facilities along the route means that a properly reconstructed road could support increased commercial activities and improve access to education, healthcare and other services.

The analyst also linked the road to the state’s wider efforts to develop its aviation and agricultural sectors.

He said the presence of the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport made efficient road connectivity even more important.

“An airport cannot achieve its full economic potential if the road network connecting it to communities, businesses and institutions is inadequate.

“The same applies to agriculture, healthcare and education. Development assets must be properly connected if they are to produce maximum economic value,” he said.

Ojo commended Aare Afe Babalola and Senator Babafemi Ojudu for keeping the condition of federal roads in Ekiti on the public agenda.

He said their interventions had helped to sustain attention to an issue that affects the wider population.

He, however, appealed to all stakeholders to support the Federal Government’s intervention and avoid turning the project into a political dispute.

“Once government has taken a positive step, our responsibility should be to encourage it to succeed.

“This is not the time for partisan arguments. The road belongs to the people and everybody will benefit from its reconstruction,” he said.

Ojo urged the Federal Ministry of Works to ensure proper engineering assessment, adequate drainage, quality materials and effective supervision throughout the construction period.

He said the experience of abandoned and poorly executed road projects across the country made monitoring particularly important.

“The people of Ekiti do not need another temporary intervention.

“We need a road that will withstand the demands placed on it and remain motorable for many years. The quality of execution is therefore as important as the decision to reconstruct the road,” he said.

The analyst further urged the Federal Government to consider the reconstruction of other major federal roads linking Ekiti State with neighbouring states as part of a broader strategy to improve the state’s connectivity.

He said Ekiti’s greatest economic assets included its people, educational institutions, professional expertise, agriculture and growing private investments.

“These assets cannot operate at their full potential without infrastructure.

“Good roads connect people to opportunities. They connect businesses to markets, patients to healthcare, students to education and farmers to consumers.

“That is why the reconstruction of this road should be seen as an economic intervention, not merely a construction project,” he said.

Ojo said President Tinubu’s intervention had created an opportunity for the Federal Government to demonstrate its commitment to infrastructure development in the state.

He expressed optimism that the project would be completed successfully and urged the relevant authorities to maintain transparency and accountability throughout its execution.

He said Ekiti people would judge the intervention ultimately by the quality of the road delivered and not merely by announcements or ceremonies surrounding the project.

“I commend Mr President for giving this road the attention it deserves.

“Now, let us get the work done.

“Let the contractors move to site, let the project be properly supervised and let Ekiti people finally have the durable federal road they have waited for.

“That will be the real meaning of this intervention,” Ojo said.