Reports
FERMA Warns Against Truck Parking, Vandalism on Newly Rehabilitated Ekiti Federal Roads After Sukuk-Funded Repairs
By Joseph Sunday
The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) has warned motorists and residents in Ekiti State against indiscriminate parking of heavy-duty vehicles, spillage of petroleum products, and vandalism of road infrastructure on newly rehabilitated federal roads.
The warning was issued by the Director of West Operations at FERMA, Engineer Francis Isabiyi, during an inspection tour of Sukuk-funded road projects in the state on Monday. The exercise is part of a nationwide assessment of federal road interventions financed through the Sukuk bond.
The inspection covered two key sections: a 1.2-kilometre stretch through Ikunri Modern Market, popularly known as Alubarika Market, in Ikunri-Ekiti, Ikole Local Government Area, and a 1.6-kilometre road linking Itawure to the Osun State boundary.
Addressing journalists in Ikunri, Isabiyi expressed satisfaction with the quality of work and level of compliance with specifications on the projects. He noted that FERMA’s sectional repairs had significantly improved portions of the road that were previously in a deplorable state.
“My sole reason for coming here is for a nationwide inspection, purely on Sukuk projects,” Isabiyi said. “Our team has done a very good job here by supervising the contractor in accordance with our specifications and standards. I am very happy with what I have seen since I arrived.”
He explained that the intervention model targets the most critical and deteriorated sections of federal roads rather than full reconstruction. “This type of work we are seeing here today is ongoing across all 36 states of the federation and the FCT,” he added.
Isabiyi described the inspected corridor as a major trunk route with high traffic volume, connecting Abuja through Ifaki, Ikole, and Omuo, and linking onward to Lagos, Ilorin, and Kogi State. He noted that the road also serves several federal institutions, including Ekiti State University, and passes through major towns in the state.
“Before this intervention, the road was highly deplorable, as residents here can attest. Our team moved in and carried out the repairs. In this section alone, we have recovered over one kilometre,” he said.
The FERMA Director appealed to road users to take ownership of public infrastructure, noting that government spends heavily on construction and maintenance. He lamented that newly fixed sections are often damaged by indiscriminate truck parking, diesel and petrol spillage, and vandalism of guardrails and streetlights.
“After repairs, we still see indiscriminate parking of trucks on newly fixed sections. This leads to spillage of diesel and petrol, which damages the road. Communities should discourage such practices,” Isabiyi said. “We also have cases of vandalism — people removing guardrails from bridges and stealing installed streetlights. These are public assets funded by the government. We must treat them like personal property.”
At the Itawure axis, the Zonal Director, Southwest I (Oyo, Ekiti, Osun and Kwara states), Alonge Babatunde, described the quality of work as satisfactory, despite minor observations that would be addressed. He noted that the project, awarded earlier in the year, remains within its six-month completion timeline and commended the contractor’s progress.
Babatunde cautioned motorists against overspeeding on the improved road. “This road is now very good. Before, it was very bad, many vehicles were breaking down, and there were frequent accidents. But now that it has been repaired, it is okay,” he said. “This road will boost business in the area. Movement has improved and businesses can now operate better. The work they did, including the culverts, is commendable.”
Residents, commuters, and commercial drivers interviewed during the inspection commended the federal government for the intervention, saying it has eased movement, reduced accidents, and improved economic activities.
At Ikunri, Abdullahi Wajud said the road, previously deplorable, had become motorable, reducing vehicle breakdowns and enhancing safety. Another commuter, Aina Yakubu, described the rehabilitation as commendable and expressed satisfaction with the quality of work. Musa Ismail acknowledged the improvement but appealed for the repairs to be extended to adjoining sections still in poor condition, particularly Ayedun.
At the Itawure axis, driver Olumide Oje said the repairs had significantly changed the economic outlook of the area. Fellow driver Afolayan Idowu described the intervention as a relief from years of hardship. Trader Titilayo Ayelabowo commended the effort and called for more infrastructural development across the state.