Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Tuesday inaugurated the 9.3-kilometre Akoda–Cottage–Oke Gada dual carriageway in Ede, describing the project as a major infrastructure intervention designed to ease traffic congestion and improve transportation within the town.

Speaking at the inauguration, Adeleke said the road is strategically important as it connects residential areas, schools, markets and major routes leading to Osogbo and Ibadan.

He noted that residents had long endured traffic congestion, flooding and poor road conditions, adding that the completed project would significantly improve movement within the community.

“This is part of our administration’s agenda of infrastructure renewal across all zones of Osun. What we are doing in Osogbo, we are doing in Ila, in Iwo, Ile-Ife, Ilesa and now in Ede,” the governor said.

Adeleke commended the Ministry of Works and the contractor for delivering what he described as a quality project built to standard.

“It is noteworthy to inform the gathering of today that our engineers have delivered quality work in line with the best standard. I commend the Ministry of Works and the contractor for a job well done.

“It is therefore my honour and privilege, by the grace of God and with the support of the people, to officially commission the Dualised Akoda–Cottage–Oke Gada Road for public use,” he added.

Providing details of the project, the Director of Highways in the Osun State Ministry of Works, Maruf Ojebode, said the road was conceived to address the perennial traffic congestion and flooding in Ede.

According to him, the project was executed in two phases, both awarded in November 2023 and completed in December 2024.

“The project consists of two phases. Phase One is the 5.4-kilometre Akoda–Baptist High School Ede section, while Phase Two covers the 3.6-kilometre Baptist High School–Oke Gada section,” Ojebode said.

He explained that the dual carriageway features 9.3-metre carriageways on both sides, 1.5-metre walkways, a 1.2-metre central median and solar-powered streetlights.

Ojebode added that geotechnical investigations, traffic counts and hydraulic studies were carried out before construction commenced to ensure the road met both federal and state highway standards.

Meanwhile, the Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Lawal, appealed for a peaceful, free and credible governorship election in Osun State.

Speaking in Yoruba, the monarch also condemned what he described as hate speech directed at the Ede community ahead of the August 15 governorship poll.

“We are using this opportunity to appeal to President Bola Tinubu to allow for a credible governorship election. They should allow each of us to vote for whoever we prefer,” the monarch said.