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Many motorists who ply the Kabba-Omuo-Ekiti Road have lamented the slow pace of construction along the corridor.
The motorists, in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the delay has led to frequent gridlock, vehicle damage, and significant loss of man-hours.
The Kabba-Omuo-Ekiti road is a key interstate economic route linking communities between Kogi and Ekiti States.
According to motorists, passenger patronage has declined since construction began, as many commuters now opt for alternative routes to avoid delays.
The Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ekiti State Branch, Chief Omotayo Falope, said the road had been in a deplorable condition for a long time, causing significant damage to vehicles.
“The road has become a death trap and an avenue for criminals to operate freely. Because it is a federal road and a linkage between states, it is very critical, not only for human survival but also for state prosperity,” he said.
“Our appeal is for government to expedite action on its completion. Aside from the Kabba-Omuo-Ekiti road, we are grateful to the government for the major work on Akure-Ikere-Ado-Ekiti and the Ifaki-Omuo road, which has been fixed to a commendable extent.”
Kehinde Afolabi, Chairman of the National Association of Cooperative Transporters (NACT), Ekiti Chapter, said that before President Bola Tinubu’s administration, the Akure-Ikere-Ado-Ekiti road was a major challenge, causing traffic gridlock, severe vehicle damage, and prolonged travel times due to its poor condition.
“The difficulties became more compounded as most of our businessmen and women from Ado-Ekiti who wish to board flights at Akure Airport have to use the road.
“Even for farmers in Ekiti to move their produce to neighbouring Ondo State, it was problematic. But today, the road has been fixed.
“Work on Kabba-Omuo-Ekiti has also commenced from the Ifaki-Omuo section, and it is a good development for transport stakeholders in the state and beyond,” he said.
Also, the state Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) in Ekiti State, Sunday Adeola, said the construction of the Kabba-Omuo-Ekiti road was long overdue, given its importance as a link for commercial and trade activities between the affected states.
An Ado-Ekiti-based commercial driver, Sunday Adedeji, told NAN that he once escaped an armed robbery ambush on the road.
“If not for God and my expertise as a professional driver, my passengers and I would have been victims of an armed robbery attack during one of my trips on the road due to its deplorable state.
“I thank God I escaped. More importantly, I am very happy that the newly awarded construction contract is a major relief that will drastically reduce vehicle repair costs and improve daily commuting,” he said.
The Controller of Works in Ekiti State, Wasiu Owolabi, told NAN that the Kabba-Omuo-Ekiti road is 104 kilometres long, with the Ekiti section covering 63 kilometres from Omuo-Ekiti.
He explained that the road was initially awarded to CCECC Nigeria Limited (China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation) at a cost of N9.99 billion due to its poor condition.
“After the COVID-19 pandemic, the company could not proceed due to increased construction costs, and the contract was terminated. The road was re-awarded to Gamji Construction Company in March 2026 to cover the entire 104-kilometre stretch into Kogi State from Ekiti, at a cost of N25 billion,” he said.
“The company is yet to commence full construction work on the Omuo-Ekiti to Kabba section as it awaits the release of funds. However, it has fixed the bad portion from Ifaki-Ekiti to Omuo-Ekiti to make it motorable and ease the movement of farmers and traders.”
