A development expert and Chief Executive of Global Development lniatiatives (GDI), Engr. Micheal Ale, has raised the alarm that federal roads in Ekiti, particularly the Ado-lfaki-Abuja axis have become deplorable calling for urgent attention to fix it.

Ale said the road in focus links the west to Abuja and as such served major commercial and development purposes. He added that continued neglect of the road would hamper development in Nigeria given the significance of the road.

Ale who spoke in a press statement he made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Thursday, called on the federal government to urgently address the recurrent gridlock caused by the deplorable condition of the road.

Recall that the same axis had a serious gridlock that lasted for weeks recently due to huge portholes caused by erosion on the Oye-ilupeju point of the road.

The incident caused huge losses commercially as vehicles were stuck for days. It equally caused emotional trauma for many road users who were forced to spend days on the road while others had to turn back to pass other routes.

On Wednesday, September 9, the recurrent ugly incident was experienced by commuters and road users who went through pain and unnecessary delay for hours as a truck reportedly fell across the axis of the road and caused gridlock for hours.

The development expert alleged that the bad condition of the roads are causing pain and adversely affecting the livelihood of the rural communities located along the road including Ayegbaju, Oye and llupeju communities among others.

According to Ale, the presence of a federal institution, federal university Oye-Ekiti on the axis made it very painful and traumatic for both students and staff of the institution, adding that the condition of the road had also led to avoidable accidents which claimed innocent lives.

He said:” a very good road network is needed for viable commercial and development activities to thrive. The road network that we are taking about here links the west and eastern parts of the country to the federal capital territory and provided the route for many commercial and goods conveying trucks to ply.

“It is a very important road that must be well taken care of. The continued deplorable condition of that road will further destroy its economic viability and potentials for our dear country and this is why as a development expert, we cannot ignore the condition that road is in currently.

“We therefore appeal to the President to urge the Works minister to take the development and rehabilitation of that road as an emergency issue which must urgently be addressed and fixed once and for all.

“The President and his team at the works ministry have been doing a great job on the lbadan to Ado-Akure axis and Nigerians are praying for him over this. This is why we also urge him to urgently consider the federal roads in Ekiti also.“