After Billions Spent, Bridge Still Abandoned: Citizens Issue Open Letter to Tinubu, Works Minister, Osun Governor, National Assembly Over ÒRÉ Bridge

Years after billions of naira were committed to the construction of the ÒRÉ Bridge on the Ikirun to Ogbomoso Federal Road, concerned citizens and stakeholders have issued an open letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Honourable Minister of Works, the Governor of Osun State, and the National Assembly, demanding urgent intervention.

The group described the abandoned bridge as a major bottleneck to economic growth and interstate connectivity, lamenting the hardship faced daily by farmers, transporters, businesses, and residents across communities in Osun and Oyo States. Citing publicly available records, the stakeholders called for accountability over the project’s prolonged delay and appealed for the immediate completion of the critical federal infrastructure.

Below is the full text of the open letter.

OPEN LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF WORKS, THE GOVERNOR OF OSUN STATE, AND THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Urgent Appeal for the Completion of the Abandoned ÒRÉ Bridge and the Ikirun–Ogbomoso Federal Road

Your Excellency,

We write on behalf of the residents, farmers, transporters, business owners, and countless road users who have endured years of hardship due to the abandonment of the ÒRÉ Bridge on the Ikirun–Ogbomoso Federal Road.

For more than a decade, the abandoned bridge at ÒRÉ has remained the missing link preventing the completion of one of the most important federal road corridors connecting Osun and Oyo States. What should have been a catalyst for economic growth has instead become a symbol of abandoned public infrastructure and unfulfilled government promises.

Available public records indicate that the project was awarded in 2011 to MM & IF Integrated Nigeria Limited at a contract sum of ₦494,696,895.00, with completion expected in 2012. In 2018, following a review of project costs, the Federal Government approved an additional ₦2,546,757,559.10, bringing the total contract value to approximately ₦3.04 billion, with a revised completion date of December 2020.

Sadly, despite this substantial public investment, the contractor reportedly failed to remobilize to the site, and the bridge remains unfinished. To date, neither the contractor nor the supervising authorities have provided the public with a clear explanation for the prolonged abandonment.

The consequences have been devastating.

Farmers are unable to transport produce efficiently, leading to post-harvest losses and reduced incomes. Transport costs continue to rise, contributing to higher food prices. Businesses have been discouraged from investing in the affected communities, while motorists face dangerous diversions, damaged vehicles, and increased travel time. During the rainy season, many communities become isolated as the crossing becomes unsafe.

The Ikirun–Ogbomoso Road is not merely a local road. It is a strategic federal highway serving communities including Ikirun, Eko-Ende, ÒRÉ, Ilie, Iregba, Iresa, and Ogbomoso. Its completion would significantly improve interstate connectivity, promote agriculture, facilitate commerce, and stimulate economic development across the South-West.

We therefore respectfully call on:

1. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to direct the immediate review and completion of the project.
2. The Honourable Minister of Works to conduct an urgent inspection of the site, provide the public with the current status of the contract, and ensure that work resumes without further delay.
3. The National Assembly, particularly its Committees on Works and Public Accounts, to investigate the utilisation of the contract funds and ensure full accountability.
4. The Governor of Osun State to engage the Federal Government and advocate for the immediate completion of this critical infrastructure for the benefit of the people.

Our appeal is not political. It is humanitarian, economic, and developmental.

The people of the affected communities are not asking for a new project. They are simply asking that a project already awarded and funded with more than ₦3 billion in public resources be completed.

History will remember those who chose to act.

We therefore urge all relevant authorities to treat this matter as one of urgent national importance. Every additional day of delay translates into more hardship, lost economic opportunities, and unnecessary suffering for thousands of Nigerians.

The time for promises has passed. The time for accountability and action is now.

Yours faithfully,

Concerned Citizens and Stakeholders of the Ikirun–ÒRÉ–Ogbomoso Corridor