By Ifeoluwa Adeyeye
Following the tragic accident that occurred in Akungba-Akoko, Akoko South-West Local Government Area of Ondo State on Tuesday, October 22, the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Olayide Adelami, visited the scene today to sympathize with the family of the victims, students, and residents of the community.
Representing the Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the Deputy Governor described the incident as “an ugly situation” and extended the government’s condolences to the people of Akungba and the Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA) community.
He explained that before arriving at the scene, he had visited the palace of the Kabiyesi to commiserate with the monarch and later met with student representatives, who shared their concerns and demands aimed at preventing future occurrences.
The Deputy Governor acknowledged that the area has been prone to accidents for some time, which led to the installation of barricades to restrict heavy vehicles from passing through. However, he noted that certain traffic personnel had compromised, allowing trailers back on the road.
“As a listening government, we decided to provide a permanent solution, which is to reconstruct the road,” he said. “The contract has already been awarded, and construction work has commenced.”
He further stated that initial findings revealed that the unfortunate incident could have been avoided if the officers in charge had carried out their duties effectively. According to him, some barricades were removed by unknown individuals, allowing the heavy truck involved in the accident to pass through.
“From what His Royal Majesty told me, there were compromises from those expected to control traffic,” he said. “It’s an avoidable accident, but we are here to commiserate with the people and assure them that the government feels their pain."
He confirmed that the driver of the trailer has been arrested and is currently in custody, while relevant agencies such as the Road Safety Corps and the Emergency Management Agency are on ground to handle the situation, pacify the people, and cater for victims.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to public safety, the Deputy Governor assured that all promises made would be fulfilled. He added that the barricades would be reconstructed and the construction company would be instructed to speed up road work and adhere strictly to road safety protocols.
“No heavy vehicle will be allowed to pass through this route until construction is completed,” he emphasized. “All necessary precautions will be put in place to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.”
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