Ekiti Residents, Motorists Task FG On Collapsed Bridge

EKITI - Residents of Ijan Ekiti, in Gbonyin local government area of Ekiti State have expressed concern over the collapse of a bridge which connected the town to Ado Ekiti, the state capital, appealing to the federal government to come to their aid.

They lamented that, with the collapse of the linkage bridge, the town and other communities in the council have been cut off from Ado Ekiti capital city.

The bridge located in front of Saint Paul’s Anglican Primary School, in the heart of the town, collapsed on Saturday due to torrential downpour and the attendant erosion.

Majority of the towns in the axis finding it difficult  to access Ado Ekiti due to the incident are: Ijan, Iluomoba, Agbado, Aisegba, Imesi and Ode Ekiti, as well those traveling out of the state to Ondo, Kogi states and the Federal capital territory.

The bridge, built during the military government  in the old Ondo State, was said to have caved in due to persistent erosion and overflow of water in that axis.

Commenting on the development, the Osodi of Ijan Ekiti, High Chief Kehinde Ojo, appealed to the federal and state governments to promptly reconstruct the collapsed bridge to restore normalcy on that road.

Ojo, who is the acting traditional head of Ijan Ekiti, pending the appointment of a Regent to superintend over the town stated that a letter had been written to the state government on the need to take prompt action on the collapsed bridge.

“As we speak now, traffic along that route has been altered and affected . Economic activities are also being affected because some of the vehicles carrying agriculture products to the market centres are affected.

“We should also look at the environmental hazard the portion poses to our people being in the heart of the town. The surroundings are being degraded due to erosion and this should not be allowed to continue”, he said.