Patigi road a death trap – Kwara residents

Residents of Kwara State and motorists plying the Ilorin-Patigi road have raised alarm over the poor state of the road, calling it a death trap.

They expressed their frustration on Wednesday and urged the completion of the road which project, they said, had lasted several years.

They said the poor condition of the road had affected farming and economic activities of the agrarian and fishing communities connected by the road.

City & Crime reports that the road project, 156 kilometres to Patigi from Ilorin, was awarded by the federal government.

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A driver, Adigun Akinrinade, said, “The worst portion is from Lade to Patigi. Tsaragi to Gbugbu is also very bad. A journey that is supposed to last three hours is now over seven hours, with serious damage to our vehicles.

“We are fed up with that road. Before the last general elections, some repairs, up to about three kilometres, were carried out, but stopped.”

Omotoye John, another driver, said the road needed an overhaul to forestall any disaster.

He said, “More than three portions of the road are almost cut off. We have lost several vehicles on it. Some car owners have stopped plying the road with their cars whenever they travel, preferring commercial transport.”

He added that the lack of drains in some portions was a major concern, stressing that any further rehabilitation/reconstruction must be done with drains.

A resident, who also lamented the situation but preferred not to be named, said, “The bridge before Patigi has collapsed and the temporary one provided is being threatened by erosion.’’

In a telephone interview with our correspondent on Wednesday afternoon, the Controller of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in the state, Engr Nike Matthew, said, “The road/bridge has already been captured in the budget and we will do something to it.”