By Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

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Barely 24-hour after a protest embarked upon by the students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti over the deplorable condition of Ado-Ikare road, the Federal Government has approved the dualisation of the road.

The students had on Monday embarked on a protest, blocking the ever-busy road for several hours, during which commuters and travellers were stranded for hours.

Announcing the approval of the dualisation of the road in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, the Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele said that the Federal Government has approved the dualistion of the Ado-Ekiti-Ikare-Akoko road.

He explained that the road is a 31-kilometre highway that connects Ekiti State to Federal Capital Territory through Ondo, Edo and Kogi States.

The highway, according to the Senate leader, was equally captured in the 2024 Appropriation Act purely enacted to implement strategic infrastructure projects that will create limitless opportunities for Nigerians across the 36 States of the federation.

He explained that the Ado-Ekiti-Ikare-Akoko which is one of the 12 federal roads connecting Ekiti State to Kogi, Kwara, Ondo and Osun States, has suffered neglect even before democratic transition in 1999.

He however, explained that President Bola Tinubu approved the dualisation of the road considering its strategic significance to Ekiti and other states directly and indirectly bordering it.

 He explained that the reason for the dualisation of the road “is due to the volume of traffic on this inter-state highway that connects Ekiti to Abuja through Ondo, Edo and Kogi States. It is a decision taken by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“Aside, it is not only that the road was captured in the 2024 Appropriation Act. The Honourable Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi has identified it to the management and staff of the Federal Ministry of Works as a priority federal road, whose reconstruction must take off this fiscal year.

“The Federal Government has already commenced the design of the road because what was decided was that the road should be dualised from Ejigbo in Ado Ekiti up till 31 kilometres to Ikare Akoko. We will continue from there as a single lane.”