A civic accountability report has raised fresh concerns over the abandoned Owena–Alade–Idanre Road in Ondo State, calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the project amid allegations of fund mismanagement.
The call followed a field visit by Tracka, a project-tracking initiative of the BudgIT Foundation, which revealed that the road remains in a deplorable and near-impassable condition despite substantial public funds released for its construction and rehabilitation.
Official government records indicate that a total of ₦371.7 million was disbursed between April and November 2024 for construction and rehabilitation works on the road. An additional ₦33.2 million was paid in August 2024 for Production Engineering Design related to the project, bringing total disbursement to ₦404.9 million.
However, findings from Tracka, verified through BudgIT’s GovSpend platform and on-the-ground project tracking, showed no evidence of meaningful construction or rehabilitation work at the project site. There was also no visible contractor presence, raising serious questions about how the funds were utilised.
According to the report, what exists in budget documents and payment records sharply contrasts with the reality faced daily by residents and commuters who depend on the Owena–Alade–Idanre Road.
The continued abandonment of the road has worsened transportation challenges for communities along the corridor, slowed economic activities, and increased the cost of moving goods and services. Farmers, traders, students and small business owners were said to be bearing the burden of a project that exists largely on paper.
More troubling, the report noted that residents have expressed concerns over rising criminal activities along the axis, as the poor state of the road creates opportunities for robberies, attacks and other security threats, endangering lives and livelihoods.
Tracka described the situation as a recurring example of how government continues to borrow funds for infrastructure development while resources meant for critical projects are allegedly mismanaged by politicians and contractors.
The organisation further expressed concern that the Owena–Alade–Idanre Road project continues to appear in the national budget year after year as an “ongoing” project, despite clear evidence that work has either not commenced or has completely stalled.
Reacting to the findings, civic technology organisation, MonITNG, demanded urgent transparency and accountability from the Federal Ministry of Works, the implementing agency for the project.
MonITNG called on the ministry to provide clear and detailed information on how the funds released for the road were spent, questioning why substantial payments had been made while the road remains in poor condition and when the contractor would be fully mobilised to site.
The organisation also formally invited the EFCC and ICPC to investigate the construction and rehabilitation of the Owena–Alade–Idanre Road, the role of the implementing agency, and the contractor, H.K Flamingo Consulting Ltd, over alleged mismanagement and diversion of public funds.
“Accountability is not optional. Public funds must translate to public value, and citizens must not continue to suffer because of corruption and impunity,” MonITNG stated.
