The Federal Government has dismissed some media reports on the ongoing reconstruction and expansion of the Ore–Ondo–Akure expressway, saying the project met international engineering standards.
A viral video recently showed some part of the road and alleged that some of the materials used in the construction of the road were substandard. The video also raised other concerns about the road.
But the Minister of Works, David Umahi, during an on-site inspection of the project on Thursday, said the concerns raised over the road construction were unnecessary as the construction design was already in line with global best practices.
Represented by the Federal Controller of Works in Ondo State, Engineer Olajide Hussein, the minister reiterated that the project followed approved specifications from the Federal Ministry of Works, explained that the variation in reinforcement between the main carriageway and the shoulders was due to their different structural functions.
According to him, the outer shoulders are meant for occasional use, such as emergency stops, diversions, or breakdowns, and therefore require lighter materials.
The minister further explained that the use of A142 wire mesh, which was on the outer shoulder, was a standard practice all over the world, in Nigeria and internationally.
The minister also clarified that the project was not a dualization road as widely believed, but a single carriageway with newly introduced shoulders for better traffic management and safety. He noted that the road, which measures 86.43 kilometres, stretches from Ore through Ondo to Akure, with each side having a 7.3-metre-wide main lane and 2.75-metre shoulders.
Umahi, who briefed journalists after the FEC meeting, said, “We have the Ore-Ondo-Akure Road, which is under special intervention due to flooding. It is 24 months long and has a total contract sum of N134bn in favour of CBC Nigeria Limited, which will use concrete because of the terrain.”
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