Senate Orders Expansion of Akure–Ore Repairs to Include Neglected Ore–Okitipupa–Igbokoda Unity Road
By Fatima Saka
The Senate on Thursday faulted the exclusion of the Ore–Okitipupa–Igbokoda Federal Road from ongoing rehabilitation works under Project C/No. 6509, describing it as a major oversight that undermines equity in an oil-producing region, as it resolved to urge the Federal Government to immediately include the neglected route in the project design.
The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Jimoh Ibrahim Folorunsho (Ondo South), titled “Achieving Fair and Balanced Infrastructure Development: Expansion of Akure–Ore Road Repairs to the Ore–Okitipupa–Igbokoda Unity Road.”
While presenting the motion, Senator Ibrahim stressed that road construction and maintenance remain central to Nigeria’s economic progress, especially within corridors experiencing increasing commercial activity and oil production.
He informed the chamber that repair works on the Akure–Ore Road, listed as Project C/No. 6509 (ERGP12190717), received appropriations of ₦31,023,545 in both the 2022 and 2023 fiscal years, in line with Nigeria’s commitment to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
However, he noted that Ondo State, which contributes over seven per cent of Nigeria’s crude oil revenue, has its main oil-producing communities cut off by the neglect of the Ore–Okitipupa–Igbokoda axis, which he said accounts for about 95 per cent of the corridor’s economic relevance.
According to him, the road links critical areas such as Okitipupa, Igbokoda, Ilaje and Ese-Odo, serving as the only federal access route to communities that sustain a significant portion of the nation’s oil and gas output.
“This road is not just a transport route; it is a unity road that binds our people economically, socially and culturally. Excluding it from federal intervention threatens the equity and fairness expected in an oil-producing region,” he warned, adding that continued neglect could breed feelings of marginalisation among the people.
Senator Ibrahim further stated that over two million residents, including more than 1.5 million registered voters, depend on the road for trade, movement, healthcare access and other economic activities.
“We must act in the interest of justice, equity and national unity. To leave out the only federal highway serving the oil-producing belt of Ondo State is not just an oversight, it is a disservice to our people,” he said.
The Senate, after brief contributions from other lawmakers who described the motion as timely and justified, resolved to mandate the Federal Ministry of Works to adjust the contract scope of Project C/No. 6509 to include the Ore–Okitipupa–Igbokoda Federal Road.
Speaking to journalists after the plenary, Senator Ibrahim described the approval as a milestone for Ondo South and oil-producing communities in the state.
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“This is the only road that unites Ilaje, Ese-Odo, Okitipupa and Igbokoda. It is also the only federal return for the over seven per cent of oil and gas drilled daily from our land. The Senate has today ordered the Federal Government to extend the ongoing construction to include this road. This is a great day for our people,” he said.
If approved and implemented by the Executive, the expanded rehabilitation is expected to ease transportation challenges, open up economic opportunities, and strengthen unity among the oil-producing communities in Ondo South.
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