The Ogun Office of Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) on Friday, flagged off devegetation control, desilting of the carriage ways, as well as line drain exercise of the federal highways along the Ogun Corridors if the highways.
The exercise, code named: "Operation Safe-Guard Roads" (OSGR), witnessed FERMA officials and their adhoc staff engaged for the purpose, clearing buses and cutting down big threes that have overshadowed the highways and inhibiting motorists' visibilities that often resulted on road crashes.
Speaking 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 incharge of Ogun State, Engr. Fasoranti Bamidele explained that the exercise will enhance visibilities of motorists plying the road when completed, in addition to minimizing road crashes along the stretch where the federal highways transverses in Ogun Clcorridors.
Fasoranti further disclosed that the operation also targeted at 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 ffield 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 commutters as the road shoulders, which have been overgrown by vegetation would be cleared for vehiculars' 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 chance to perpetrator their evil act".
"The exercise is also to create awareness that FERMA is working on the roads and there is no cause for alarm, though we depend on budgetary provision for our act but we are always on ground for any road or environmental activities".
Fasoranti however, urged motorists to be patient with hus agency throughout the duration of the period which the exercise lasts, stressing that the agency has plans to take care of failures on the roads as the rain subsides.
"Host community should also cooperate with the agency while the exercise last".
Meanwhile, motorist plying the highway as at the time of the exercise, applaud President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the on going highway regeneration exercise.
While a motorcyclist, Taofeek Akinlolu expressed excitement in the exercise and described it as "safety at its peak", a motorist Mrs. Animasahun Adedoyin; a native of Igbojila applauded the step taking by President Tinubu at empowering FERMA to discharged one of its core statutory function in the state.
"Yes, this is democracy at work because our President, Asiwaju Tinubu is trying to safe guard motorists plying the road as it will keep miscreants off the road".
In his own word of appreciation to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, a truck driver, Momodu Jamiu expressed gratitude to the federal government for coming to the assistance of motorist.
He stressed that the gesture would go a long way at assuring motorist that the road is safe because there is no more hideout for kidnappers on the road.
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