Residents and motorists plying the Sango-Idiroko Road in Ogun State have appealed to the state government to urgently rehabilitate deteriorating sections of the highway, citing worsening traffic congestion, vehicle damage and security concerns.
The commuters, who spoke during a visit to the area, described the road as a major source of hardship, saying its poor condition has significantly disrupted movement and increased travel time.
Several potholes were observed shortly after the Sango Ota Bus Stop, forcing motorists to slow down to navigate the damaged sections. The Ojuore-Fowobi Junction stretch was also found to have collapsed, leaving only a narrow motorable lane and causing heavy traffic.
A motorist, Azeez Osuolale, said the road has become increasingly difficult to use, especially during peak periods.
According to him, journeys that should take only a few minutes now last more than an hour, while many vehicles have developed mechanical faults due to the potholes. He added that commercial drivers have passed the additional maintenance costs on to passengers through higher fares.
Another commuter, Oluwaseun Adeyemi, said the rainy season has further worsened the situation, with flooded potholes posing serious risks to motorists.
She noted that drivers are often unable to determine the depth of water-filled potholes, resulting in vehicle breakdowns and raising the likelihood of accidents.
Residents also expressed concerns over security, alleging that hoodlums exploit the slow-moving traffic caused by the damaged road to harass and rob motorists, particularly at night.
Construction work on a flyover at the Ojuore axis near the Living Faith Bible Church was observed to be ongoing, with heavy equipment deployed at the site.
While commending the state government for the project, road users urged authorities to also rehabilitate other failed sections of the highway, particularly the Onibuku, Baba Ode and Goro stretches.
A resident and motorcycle operator, Sesan Lawal, said although the flyover project is commendable, other critical sections of the road require immediate intervention to prevent further deterioration and ease the suffering of commuters.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Ogun State Commissioner for Works, Ade Akinsanya, were unsuccessful, as calls to his telephone line were not answered and a text message sent to him had not been replied to as of the time of filing the report.
The call for intervention comes weeks after residents of Agbado, Abule Ijoko, Itoki, Ope-Ilu and neighbouring communities in Ifo Local Government Area similarly appealed to the state government over the poor condition of roads in their communities.
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