Don Advocates Railways, Concrete Pavements As Solution To Road Failures

Corruption, substandard Materials, Poor workmanship and lack of Maintenance culture has been identified as the cause  of the incessant road failures in Nigeria.

Professor Olumide Ogundipe of the Department of Civil Engineering at the Ekiti State University (EKSU) said this while delivering a public lecture Organized by the Nigerian Institution Of Civil Engineers (NICE), Ekiti State Chapter in honour of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Engineer Johnson Oluwole Adeola on his Retirement and birthday celebrations at the Ministry of Works, Ado Ekiti on 8th December 2023.

Professor Ogundipe while bemoaning the dilapidated state of Nigerian roads especially roads connecting Ekiti with her neighbouring states maintained that corruption, poor maintenance culture, inadequate mix design amongst others are responsible for the continuous poor situations of roads in the country.

Engineer Ogundipe declares that with the current situation of the roads during the yuletide season, it will surely discourage travellers from visiting their loved ones.

In his lecture titled ” Road failures In Nigeria: Causes And Possible Solutions”

The Don revealed that 95 percent of Nigeria population made use of road transportation even while moving goods across the country.

He maintained that heavy duty vehicles and trucks plying the roads are doing more damage to the roads because many of the Highways are not designed for such vehicular movements.

Mr. Ogundipe advocated that the Government as a matter of urgency invests in Railway transportation, concrete roads and stop patronising road side workers who paraded themselves as Engineers.

He specifically flayed corruption, maladministration and politicians interference while budgeting funds for roads construction and maintenance.

” It is always the same process in all sectors, corruption everywhere and it is a pity where a single person pockets funds which are supposed to be of benefits to the larger society and until we stop corruption I doubt if we will have a long lasting road” he concluded.

While celebrating the retiree, Engineer Johnson Oluwole whom he described as an astute and level headed civil servant who has served humanity in various capacities said Nigeria would have been a better place if everyone will emulate his personality.