Owu Falls Access Road: Community Rejects KWSG New Construction, Calls For Completion Of Road Started By Saraki
The Owa-Onire community in Ile-Ire district of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Kwara State, has urged Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to reconsider the decision to construct a new 21-kilometer road to Owu Falls, labeling the project as unnecessary and wasteful.
Instead, they advocate for the completion of the original route begun by former Governor Bukola Saraki in 2008, which they described as more visionary and less wasteful.
This appeal followed the State Executive Council's recent approval of a N3.9 billion contract for a new road to the falls, a decision met with resistance from local stakeholders. The Concerned Indigenes of Owa Onire Community, through their coordinator, Mr. Adebola Ogunbiyi, and spokesperson, Sunday Akanbi, expressed that the existing project, which is 20% to complete, should be prioritized to prevent duplicity and waste of resources.
They detailed that the initial phase of the Saraki-led project, undertaken by Bulletine Construction Company Nigeria Limited, only saw 3 kilometers of the intended 15-kilometer road to the waterfall being tarred.
The group criticized what they perceive as misleading advice from certain political figures around the Governor pushing for the new project, arguing that the uncompleted 12-kilometer stretch offers a more direct and less challenging route to the falls, benefiting at least 10 local communities directly.
Highlighting the advantages of completing the older project, the statement underscored the economic and logistical benefits, noting the existing road's less challenging terrain and potential for lower construction costs compared to the newly proposed route.
The community also recalled Governor Abdulrazaq's promise in December 2019 to finish the abandoned road, urging him to fulfill this commitment as part of broader efforts to enhance tourism in the region. Owu Falls, noted as the highest waterfall in West Africa, remains a pivotal attraction that could significantly boost local socio-economic development if adequately accessed.
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