The Ogun State Office of Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) at the Weekend, flagged off the ‘Operation Safe-Guard Roads’ (OSGR) as part of the strategic approach for the vegetation control, as well as desilting of the carriage ways across the Ogun State corridors.
The exercise witnessed FERMA officials and their adhoc staff engaged for the purpose, clearing buses and cutting down big trees that have overshadowed the highways and inhibiting motorists’ visibilities that often resulted in road crashes.
During the flag-off at a ceremony held along the 3-kilometre Ishaga-Ilaro-Owodo-Adoodo-Ikoga road, FERMA’s managing director and chief executive officer, Engr (Dr) Chukwuemeka Agbasi said the operation principally aimed at desilting the carriage ways, clearing the bushy sections of the highways by 4-meters backward on both sides, as well as fixing minor repairs on the roads.
Agbasi, who was represented by the field Engineer in charge of Ogun State, Engr Fasoranti Bamidele explained that the exercise will enhance visibility of motorists plying the road when completed, in addition to minimizing road crashes along the stretch where the federal highways traverse in Ogun corridors.
Fasoranti further disclosed that the operation also targeted warding-off miscreants and other marauders that included kidnappers, who always take advantage of the busy side of the highways to hide and kidnap travellers.
Emphasising that OSGR perfectly aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the FERMA’s field Engineer also disclosed that the exercise has succeeded at providing employment opportunities for the teeming Nigerian youths of between ages 18 and 45 years engaged from among the host communities through where the exercise transverse.
Fasoranti further explained that the desilting of the highways would ensure that the roads are safer for commuters as the road shoulders, which have been overgrown by vegetation would be cleared for vehicles’ smooth passage, thereby assisting motorists to enjoy safer driving experience.
“Another aim of the programme is to empower our teeming youths between the ages of 18-45 years on this programme. By the time we conclude this exercise our drivers plying this road will have good visibility and the miscreants will not have a chance to perpetrate their evil act”.
Meanwhile, motorists plying the highway as at the time of the exercise, applauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the ongoing highway regeneration exercise.
