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By Abdullah Ahmed
Free flow of traffic was earlier, Saturday, disrupted at Idofian axis along Ilorin-Ajase-Ipo road, Kwara State, causing heavy vehicular traffic.
This followed a protest by Idofian community against abandoned one kilometre excavated portion at community that made heavy dust leading to health implications and obstruction of business activities.
The protesters barricaded the ever busy highway at the Idofian axis with burning tyres and all sorts of stuffs depriving motorists and pedestrians from going about their normal businesses.
According to the protesting indigenes, the road is causing various health implications and obstructing business activities.
The Personal Assistant to Oludofian of Idofian, Alhaji Salihu Balogun said that heavy dust emanating from the portion had led to closure of many shops including some houses along the road.
Also, Chief Johnson Bamgbade explained that the condition of the road had caused various health ailments such as cough, catarrh and claimed many lives, adding that many shop owners abandoned their shops due to dust.
Some shop owners who decried the effect of the dust on their health and their businesses, appealed to the government to do the needful.
Youth leader in the community, Mr Kamaldeen Jimoh said that the community had written many letters to Federal Road Maintenance Agency and the Kwara State Government to assist in repairing the road but nothing was done.
The protesting residents, who barricaded the highway to register their grievances, did not harass motorists and commuters, and they opened the road after few hours with appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to come to their aids.
Meanwhile, the Kwara State Controller of the Federal Road Maintenance Agency, Mr Wasiu Atitebi said Federal Government is working towards mobilising contractor handling Ilorin-Lokoja road back to site.
The excavated one kilometre road portion had been abandoned for about two years,
