Bad Road, Ongoing Reconstruction Responsible For Gridlock On Ota-Atan-Idiroko Expressway

The persistent traffic congestion along the Ota-Goro-Atan-Idiroko Expressway has been largely attributed to the deteriorating condition of the road and the slow pace of the ongoing reconstruction project, rather than the activities of security agencies.

The federal government awarded the reconstruction of the highway in 2023, but several sections of the road remain under construction, forcing motorists to navigate narrow and damaged portions that have become major traffic bottlenecks.

Residents of Oju Ore and motorists who use the corridor daily said the prolonged construction has subjected them to hours of gridlock, increased transport costs and hardship.

While the award of the project was initially welcomed, many road users said optimism has given way to frustration as progress on the project has remained slow.

Some residents also expressed concerns over the quality of the drainage infrastructure being constructed, describing parts of it as too shallow for a major highway and warning that it could worsen flooding and damage to the road.

They called on the Federal Ministry of Works to strengthen supervision of the project, urging the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, to carry out regular inspections to ensure the contractor delivers the project within schedule and according to specifications.

Although construction of the Oju Ore and Winners flyovers has recorded visible progress, residents maintained that work on other sections of the highway lacks the urgency required for such a critical economic corridor.

The road serves as a major gateway linking Ogun State with the Republic of Benin and carries heavy volumes of commercial and cross-border traffic daily.

Meanwhile, contrary to recent reports suggesting that the gridlock was caused by the activities of non-state actors, including smugglers, findings indicate that the primary cause of the congestion remains the poor condition of the highway and the ongoing reconstruction works.

However, road users and residents insist that the traffic situation is mainly driven by the narrow, damaged and partially reconstructed sections of the expressway, which significantly reduce the free flow of vehicles.

Speaking, a resident of Atan, Kolade Balogun, said the government should ensure quick completion of the road to ensure free flow of traffic.

“Last week, during the downpour, economic activities disrupted economic activities on the road. We couldn’t get to our destination as we stayed hours due to poor state of the road,” he stated.

Balogun, however, called on government to ensure quick completion of the road for them to have free flow of traffic.

Also speaking, a bus driver, Ibrahim Saheed, said vehicle breakdowns are also responsible for traffic gridlock on the reconstructed sections of the highway.

“It has always been one vehicle breaking down or the other especially at the Goro axis. I spent over 6 hours last week after trucks from Agbara industrial estate broke down. It was very serious, time consuming intact, I only worked half day because the traffic was much,” Saheed stated.