Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has said that the 700 street traders displaced by the Agodi Gate Junction Improvement Works will be given free stalls in the new market being built in the Area.
The governor stated this on Friday at the inauguration of Idi Ape, Civic Centre, Agodi Gate Junction Improvement Projects, noting that the projects would reduce the number of man-hours being wasted by residents who commute the roads on a regular basis.
He added that the project would also ease traffic flow and contribute to boosting commercial activities in the axis, just as it would help the Government to enforce the rule of law, regarding street trading and orderliness in the city.
Governor Makinde, who spoke to the admiration of jubilant market men and women, said three new Junction Improvement Projects would come up in University of Ibadan-Agbowo, Polytechnic Road-Sango and Eleyele Junction.
According to the governor, the delivery of the projects also activated another component in his Oyo State Roadmap to Sustainable Development, 2023-2027, which has to do with the rule of law and orderliness in the society.
He appreciated the governor of Anambra State, Charles Chukwuma Soludo, for being part of the occasion, stating that his presence in Ibadan showed that it was time to work together at this period in the life of the Country rather than looking for what could divide the people.
He said: “As you have already seen from the available visual, we are commissioning these three junction improvement works at Agodi Gate, Civic Centre and Idi Ape. These are important projects that will reduce the man-hours spent in traffic in Ibadan. Let me also announce that another three are coming to Ibadan; University of Ibadan junction is coming, Poly Road junction is coming and Eleyele junction is also coming.
“More importantly, by completing and commissioning this project, we are making a clear statement and those of you in Ibadan would have been aware of the chaos this place used to be. With this project, we are bringing sanity to this axis. So, it is significant in our quest to implement another component in our Oyo State Roadmap for Sustainable Development 2023-2027, and that is the rule of law.
“The shops that are here are for those trading by the side of the road, and they will be given free of charge. Nobody will collect one Naira from you. This means 700 of you will be moving out of the street into this place. So, we thank God. We can see how beautiful this environment is now and our plan is to keep it that way. Street trading and illegal dumping of refuse at road medians are two uncivil acts we must do away with as citizens.
“I have given a directive that anyone found carrying out such activities in this area should face the full wrath of the law.
“As we celebrate this accomplishment, I vow to do more for our people because it is our belief that you will reciprocate by protecting this project.”
Also speaking at the flag off of the 32.2 km road infrastructure component of the Senator Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road, the governor said his Administration decided to embark on the project, which was conceived about 20 years ago, because it realised the importance of developing Ibadan sustainably so as to secure the future.
The governor added that he would ensure strict supervision of the project and that the Government would move to open the North-East of the project from Badeku to Moniya in Akinyele Local Government in a matter of weeks.
He said, “The last time we were at this location, we flagged off the construction of the bridges and interchanges, which have now been completed. So, we are here to flag off the 32.2km road infrastructure component of this South-East wing of the Senator Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road, Ibadan.
“To ensure that this very important project to the economic development of Oyo State is done, we had to break down East and North-East wings and I am certain the 32.2km South-East wing is almost done. From the original amount, we have paid 60 per cent.
“Within the next few weeks, we will award the North-East wing, which is another 34km and would take us from here to Moniya where we have the Dry Port, Ilu-Tuntun and the train station.”
