Lawmaker decries frequent accidents on Ikare-Akungba road, seeks route diversion for trucks

A member of Ondo House of Assembly, Mr Olugbenga Omole, has decried the rate at which accidents occur on Ikare-Akungba Akoko road, calling for diversion of route for trucks in that axis.

Omole, representing Akoko South-West Constituency I in the Assembly, stated this on Monday in his condolence message to the families of the victims of the accident.

Reports state that no fewer than eight persons, including students of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) lost their lives in a road mishap in front of the university on Saturday.

The lawmaker, who is the House Committee Chairman on Information, Youth and Sports Development, said that the frequent loss of lives and property on the road was becoming unbearable.

While expressing his displeasure and sadness over the frequent accidents in that axis and the attendant loss of lives and property, Omole described Saturday’s incident as one too many.

“This is a road leading to the northern part of the country and so, has a lot of traffic, particularly articulated vehicles carrying goods and humans.

“One would expect that the road be expanded with enough lay-bys to accommodate both human movements and vehicular traffic. This should be a priority now,” he said.

The lawmaker commiserated with parents of the students who lost their lives in the accident, describing the loss as ‘very huge and painful’ to the state and the country at large.

“These accidents can be avoided, particularly if the Federal Government can quickly fix the failed portion of Ipele-Isua-Kabba highway and divert articulated vehicles to Ipele-Isua-Kabba road instead of Ikare-Akungba road,” he said.

He prayed God to give the parents, the institution and the Akungba community the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.