Residents  of Ondo State have been called to desist from acts that can damage the roads and their corridors constructed by the government across.

The Commissioner for Infrastructure, Lands and Housing, Mr. Raimi Aminu made the call at a meeting with the Chairmen of Akoko Northeast, Owo, Akure North and Akure South Local Government areas where road dualization projects are  ongoing.

Aminu decried the rate at which people extend their buildings to the walkways and Right-of-Way already acquired and paid for by the government.

According to him, government would not hesitate to demolish such structures if the affected individuals fail to comply with government’s directive in that regard.

Aminu also described as alarming, where people  developing their sites  now choose to drop building materials such as sand, granite and blocks on the road or inside  drainage.

While emphasising the need for residents to stop disposing refuse  on waterways, the Commissioner said the government was set to take drastic steps to enforce existing environmental laws to protect the legacy of the present administration in the areas of roads and infrastructure.

He called for synergy between the State Ministry of Environment and the local government Environmental Officers in curbing the menace of improper waste disposal.

He condemned  people burning tyres on asphalted roads in the name of protest, saying it would weaken the roads and reduce their life span.

‘There is a standard acquired area that serves as our right-of-way for the road constructions, especially the dualised roads such as we have in Owo, Oba-Ile, Ikare and Akure some people after the construction will now place their containers on it. Some would even construct shops or fence, like what we saw at Ikare akoko.’

“Government wants to take drastic action. That is why we summoned this meeting with the Chairmen of the affected local governments to brainstorm and fashion a way out. Because where an area had been  acquired and paid for, nobody should go there.

Those areas have been earmarked for electrification, beautification and other infrastructure that will serve the road. But we have discovered that  some people have been migrating back to the road,’ he noted .

“Another aspect is the abuse by construction clients who deposit their  materials such as sand, granite and blocks on road.

In their contributions, the Local Government Chairmen of Akoko Northeast, Asimiyu Adekunle, Akure South, Gbenga Olaniyi, Owo, Samuel Olagbegi and Akure North, Bankole Ogbesetore pledged their readiness to join hands with the state government to mitigate  abuses  on  the roads.