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Oyo State Government has listed more than 900 kilometres of roads either completed, nearing completion, or currently under construction across the state.

The projects comprise major inter-zonal highways, inner-city roads in Ibadan, federal road interventions and rural roads being constructed under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).

Among the major completed projects are the 76.7km Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso Road, now renamed the Adebayo Alao-Akala Memorial Highway, which links Oke-Ogun and Ogbomoso zones, and the 65km Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin Road connecting Ibadan with Oke-Ogun.

Also completed are the 34.85km Oyo-Iseyin Road, which serves as a major route to the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, and the 83.83km Saki-Iseyin Road, a federal road that received rehabilitation.

The government also highlighted the 110km Rashidi Ladoja Circular Road in Ibadan as one of its signature projects.

According to the government, the South-East Wing of the circular road, covering 32.2km, is nearly completed, while work is ongoing on the 36km North-East Wing.

High-mast floodlights have also been installed on Bridges 1 and 6, as well as the Onipepeye Bridge section of the circular road.

In Ibadan, the government said 18 inner-city roads approved in 2024 under Lots 1, 2 and 3 have recorded significant progress, with the listed projects largely completed.

They include the 15.53km UI Preboye Junction-Bodija Market-Secretariat-Total Garden-Beere Roundabout road; 11.74km Queen Cinema-Dugbe-Mokola-Sango-Trans Amusement Park Junction road; 10.8km Bus Stop Gate-Oje-Beere-Oja Oba-Molete Under Bridge road; and the 9.3km Molete Under Bridge-Oke Ado-Oke Bola-Queen Cinema, Dugbe road.

Other completed inner-city projects include the 8.5km Mile 110-Ring Road Mobil-Challenge Car Park road; 6.13km Government House-NTA Junction-Ikolaba-JAMB Office-Officers’ Mess-Federal Secretariat road; 5.48km General Gas Junction-Kolapo Ishola GRA-Iyana Church road, with a spur to Dizengoff; and the 3.85km Iyaganku-Seventh Day-Oke Bola Junction/Olubadan Stadium-Vale College-NUJ Press Centre road.

The government also listed the 3.5km Oke Adu-Ode Aje-Aremo-Orita Aperin road, 3.48km Aare Junction-Ashi along Bodija Road, 3.45km Bodija Ojurin-Ashi Bashorun road with a spur to Ojoo, and the 2.99km Oshuntokun-Housing Corporation-Elewure-Awolowo Junction road as completed.

Under Lot 3, completed roads include the 2.8km Idi Arere-Kudeti-Eleta-Idi Aro-Labo Junction-Orita Aperin road; 2.52km Ogbori Efon-Ita Baale-Beyenruka-Ode Aje-Aremo Junction road; 2.15km Oke Ado-Tribune-Imale Falafia-Ososami-Iyana Adeoyo Junction road; 1.95km Yemetu Mobil-Adeoyo Road-Total Filling Station-Idi Ayunre-Oje-Aremo road and the 1.4km Idi Arere-Popoyemoja-Oke Ado-Molete road.

Other major completed Ibadan roads include the 12.5km Challenge-Odo Ona Elewe-Elebu-Apata Road, renamed Theophilus Akinyele Way, which has been dualised; the 8.2km Agodi Gate-Old Ife Road-Alakia-Adegbayi Road with an underpass at Onipepeye; and the 7.25km Idi Ape-Basorun-Akobo-Odogbo Barracks Road.

The government also listed the 7.17km selected roads within Old and New Bodija and the State Secretariat, the 4km Beere-Alekuso-Oritamerin-Agbeni-Ogunpa-Lebanon Street-Dugbe Road expansion, and the 3.26km Oke Adu Junction-Agodi Gate-Idi Ape-Iwo Road Interchange as completed.

Other completed projects include the dualisation of the 3.2km Ibadan Airport Road and spur roads, the 16.96km Kolapo Ishola GRA road network, the 3.5km Felele Idi Odo Junction-Splash FM-Onigari Felele Expressway, the 800-metre Bishop Court-Bolajoko Road and the 65-metre General Gas Flyover.

The government said several other projects are either ongoing or nearing completion; these include the 5.5km Adegbayi Junction-Bus Terminal-Iwo Road Interchange, which is nearly completed; the 21km Airport-Ajia-New Ife Express Road with a spur to Amuloko; and the 13.6km Ojoo Interchange-IITA-Moniya Junction-Akinyele Interchange, which is a federal road intervention.

Also ongoing are the 12km Apete-Awotan-Akufo Road, being constructed with rigid pavement; the 6km Mobil-Oluyole Industrial Estate Road Network and the 37.41km Beere-Olorunsogo-Amuloko-Akanran-Dagbolu Road.

The government said the Beere-Dagbolu road has been completed up to Olorunsogo by the state government, while Ona Ara Local Government is continuing.

Outside Ibadan, completed projects include the 9.7km Saki Township Road and Saki-Ilesa-Baruba Road; the 5.2km Gedu-Oroki-Sabo-Asipa Road in Oyo and the 3km Under G-Stadium-LAUTECH Second Gate Road in Ogbomoso.

Ongoing and nearly completed projects include the 45.3km Saki-Ogbooro-Igboho Road, linking Saki West, Saki East and Oorelope local government areas; the 48km Ido-Eruwa Road connecting Ibadan and Ibarapa zones; and the 30km Igboho-Igbope-Kisi Road.

Others are the 30km Okaka Junction-Otu-Igbojaiye-KAP Film Village Road and the 35.53km Ibadan-Iwo-Osogbo Road, which is expected to be handed back to the Federal Government.

Several roads in Ogbomoso North and South are also ongoing, including the 5.7km Owode-Idi Oro-Kere Baya Oje Road, 3.3km General-Orita Naira-Oja Igbo-Abede Road, 2.69km Corpers’ Lodge-Milky Junction Road and 1.7km Aguodo-Olojo-Sekoni-Osupa-Eleko-Bosunla Road.

The government said road construction is also being extended to rural communities and farm settlements through RAAMP.

Projects listed under the programme include the 37.1km Alako-Idiya-Batake-Olowa-Ijaiye Farm Settlement Road in Ido Local Government Area; 21.96km Oloko Oyo Junction-Ikere Road in Iseyin; 8.85km Adebayo-Alata-Obebe-Aba Oje Road in Oluyole; and 8.43km Fasola Farm Settlement Road in Oyo West.

Others are the 6.82km FRSC-Ago Are Saki Link-Okudi Oyada Road, covering Tede, Atisbo and Saki West areas, and the 4.73km Tewure Market-Ila Junction Road in Oriire.

The government also said traffic management improvements had been completed at major junctions including Challenge, Felele, Idi Ape, Civic Centre, Agodi Gate and University of Ibadan Junction.

Rehabilitation of the Iwo Road Roundabout and expansion of the Adegbayi Junction-Bus Terminal-Iwo Road Interchange have also been completed.

It added that the Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA) was carrying out regular maintenance across 16 local government areas, including roads in Ibadan metropolis, Ogbomoso North and South, Surulere, Oyo East and West, Afijio and Atiba.

The government said the road projects were being implemented as part of a broader plan to support agribusiness and economic expansion by improving connections between the Fasola, Ijaiye and Eruwa Agribusiness Industrial Hubs and major markets.

Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS), has called for increased investment in research, innovation, and cross-sector collaboration to address growing health and environmental challenges across Africa.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Bashiru Garba, made the call on Thursday at the opening of the CAMRET-OHI Joint International Conference held at the New Auditorium of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH), Sokoto.

The conference, organized by the Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training (CAMRET) and the One Health Institute (OHI), is themed ‘Harnessing Research, Innovation, and Partnership for One Health Solutions to Emerging Health and Environmental Challenges in Africa.’

Garba said the increasing burden of infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, climate change, environmental degradation, food and water insecurity, and biodiversity loss required an integrated approach.

He said the challenges were interconnected and could not be effectively addressed by treating human, animal, and environmental health separately.

‘For Africa, therefore, One Health provides an important framework for developing solutions that are scientifically sound, locally relevant, affordable, and sustainable,’ he said.

The vice-chancellor said universities had a responsibility to ensure that research findings moved beyond academic publications to become policies, innovations, and interventions that directly improved people’s lives.

He said, ‘Our responsibility is not only to generate knowledge but also to translate research findings into policies, innovations, and interventions capable of improving lives.’

Garba highlighted CAMRET’s research into vaccine candidates for Lassa fever and COVID-19, the establishment of a COVID-19 screening center during the 2020 pandemic, and the center’s postgraduate programs in cancer biology.

He added that CAMRET had secured competitive research grants worth millions of naira.

At the One Health Institute, the VC said it had introduced a Master of One Health program, describing it as the first dedicated professional master’s program of its kind in Africa.

According to him, the program had completed its first cohort, while the institute had also established the African Journal of One Health.

Garba urged participants to use the conference to strengthen research partnerships and develop practical solutions to Africa’s health and environmental challenges.

He particularly challenged researchers to examine how findings generated in laboratories and universities could be translated into community-level interventions and public policies.

In a keynote presentation, a scholar from Gazipur Agricultural University, Bangladesh, said developing countries could achieve greater impact by combining indigenous knowledge with biotechnology and digital technologies.

The scholar cited Bangladesh’s use of farmer-conserved rice varieties alongside modern breeding techniques to develop crops capable of withstanding flooding and salinity.

Digital disease surveillance initiatives in Malawi and Rwanda were also cited as examples of how technology could strengthen responses to public health threats.

The keynote speaker urged researchers and governments to involve affected communities in designing interventions, stressing that local knowledge could complement scientific innovation.

Also speaking, Prof. Musa Kana, Professor of Perinatal and Paediatric Epidemiology at Kaduna State University, identified inadequate funding and fragmented governance as major barriers to effective One Health implementation in Africa.

Kana also identified professional rivalry among medical doctors, veterinarians, and environmental scientists as a challenge to effective collaboration.

He called for dedicated and sustainable One Health budget lines at both federal and state levels, as well as legislation to clearly define and institutionalize One Health responsibilities.

‘We need dedicated and sustainable One Health budget lines at the federal and state levels, as well as laws that will institutionalize One Health responsibilities,’ Kana said.

He further advocated the development of shared digital platforms for monitoring zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance.

The Director of OHI, Prof. Bello Arkilla Magaji, and the Director of CAMRET, Dr Ibrahim Malami, said UDUS was expanding its One Health capacity-building initiatives.

They disclosed that the institute, established in June 2024, had graduated its first MSc cohort of 40 students, while a second cohort of 46 students was currently in its second semester.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has announced that Toshiyuki Onuma, President of the Council of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), will open the Wings of Change Europe (WOCE), on October 15, in Brussels, Belgium, the heart of European policymaking.

Onuma headlines a strong list of confirmed speakers for Europe’s premier aeropolitical conference, which aims to shape a regulatory agenda for an efficient and competitive European aviation sector.

Speaking on the event, Thomas Reynaert, IATA’s Senior Vice President External Affairs, said: ‘In a world characterised by fragmentation, air transport is a critical example of the value of global standards. Having the president of the ICAO Council participate in the WOCE discussions in Brussels is a reminder of how important global standards and approaches are for a competitive and connected Europe.

‘Europe needs the economic and social benefits of a competitive and sustainable aviation sector more than ever, but the jobs, growth, and prosperity that aviation generates throughout the economy are challenged by onerous regulation and high costs. Intense competition between airlines is good for passengers, but European airlines are struggling with notoriously thin margins and high oil prices that threaten to limit opportunities for investment in expanding connectivity.

‘WOCE is an opportunity for industry, government, and global institutions to unite and set the course to improve European air transport competitiveness,’ Reynaert added.

Commuters on the ever-busy Benin-Sapele Highway can now heave a sigh of relief as the management of the Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Limited has carried out further repair works on failed sections of the expressway.

The Benin-Sapele highway, it would be recalled, has become a nightmare in recent times for commuters, especially at the Iyanomo, Ekosa, Obayantor Ologbo, and Koko junction in Delta, which had almost totally collapsed, thus necessitating the intervention of the petrochemical company.

Commuters and other users of the highways spend days on the bad spots along the corridor due to the deplorable state of the highway, which links the rest of the country to the core Niger Delta States from Edo to Bayelsa and Rivers.

The palliative works by the management of the Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Limited are to prevent trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles plying the highway from falling on the road.

The palliative work was done at various sections of the road, like Iyanomo, Ekosa, Obayantor Ologbo and Koko junction in Delta State.

The Head of Technical Operations of the refinery, Segun Okeini, said the intervention was to prevent the occurrence of the fire incident that happened five years ago, when a truck carrying PMS at one of the bad spots in Ologbo, with the ensuing conflagration killing over 20 people, with many others injured.

Okeini, who noted that the failed sections were almost like they were before the incident, added that the company decided to act promptly to repair the spot after the accident.

The failed portions, he disclosed, had been affecting the firm’s operations as tankers spent days on the highway before gaining access to the refinery to load products.

‘Our refinery is just about two kilometers ahead. And this area happens to be part of the area of coverage of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

‘They approached us to help them fix the failed section because most of their people cannot go out of the area. Our Chairman was around during that period, and he saw the level of damage to the road, and even on that same day, we have like five trucks that fell along the road. He authorised that we should just undertake this.’ He stated.

Okeini disclosed that while the failed portions had no direct impact on the refinery’s production, he added that since the blocked road could prevent trucks coming for loading product at the refinery, the company decided to carry out the palliative repairs for the benefit of all the users of the highway.

On his part, the Managing Director of SODEOSA Global Resources, Solomon Uyiekpen, said commuters experienced suffering on the road before the intervention.

Uyiekpen said he collaborated with the Edo Refinery to fix the road as a CSR to the communities around the area.

A member of the Obayantor community, Kennedy Nwazekwu, who expressed joy at the repair works, said the repair work would stop incessant accidents on the road.

Nwazekwu recalled with sadness that over 20 people had died at the bad spot when their vehicles fell into the ditch at different times.

The Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Umaru Radda, has declared that Katsina is moving forward with purpose as the state marks the 39th anniversary of its creation, saying the progress recorded over the years and the renewed development drive under his administration provide a strong foundation for a more secure, prosperous and competitive state.

Governor Radda congratulated Katsina State indigenes at home and in the diaspora on the anniversary, describing the occasion as a celebration of the resilience, sacrifices and collective contributions of generations of citizens who had played their part in the development of the state.

‘At 39, Katsina is moving forward with purpose. We celebrate how far we have come, but we are even more determined about where we are going. Our responsibility is to build on the sacrifices of those before us and create a state that offers greater opportunities for the generations coming after us,’ Governor Radda said.

He noted that his administration’s Building Your Future agenda reflected that responsibility, with deliberate attention to security, education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, economic empowerment, public sector reform and sustainable development.

According to the governor, the administration has remained focused on bringing development closer to the people and ensuring that government interventions make a practical difference in communities across the 34 local government areas.

Governor Radda said ongoing investments in education, healthcare, agriculture, roads and other critical infrastructure were part of a broader effort to strengthen the foundations of the state and create opportunities for its growing population.

He added that support for young people, women, farmers, entrepreneurs and small businesses remained important to the administration’s plan to build an economy in which more citizens could become productive and self-reliant.

On security, Governor Radda acknowledged the challenges confronting some communities but assured the people that his administration would continue working with security agencies, traditional institutions, community leaders and citizens to protect lives and property and restore lasting peace.

The governor stressed that the 39th anniversary should not only be an occasion to celebrate past achievements, but also a moment for citizens to renew their commitment to the future of the state.

‘At 39, we must ask ourselves what kind of Katsina we want to hand over to the next generation. We want a state where our children receive quality education, our farmers prosper, businesses grow, communities are safe and every citizen has the opportunity to live with dignity,’ he said.

Governor Radda maintained that government could not achieve this vision alone, calling on citizens, irrespective of political, religious or social differences, to continue contributing to the peace, unity and development of the state.

‘Katsina belongs to all of us. Its progress is our shared responsibility. Government will continue to provide leadership and create opportunities, but lasting development requires the contribution of everyone,’ he stated.

He urged traditional and religious leaders, professionals, business owners, farmers, women and young people in the diaspora to continue supporting initiatives that promote peace, education, enterprise and community development.

Governor Radda also paid tribute to past leaders, traditional institutions, public servants, security personnel and citizens whose sacrifices and service had contributed to Katsina’s development since its creation.

He assured the people that his administration would continue to pursue the Building Your Future agenda with determination, complete ongoing projects, strengthen public institutions and expand opportunities across the state.

‘As we celebrate 39 years of our dear state, our message is one of gratitude for the journey behind us and confidence in the future before us. We have made progress, but there is still more work to be done,’ Governor Radda said.

He prayed for continued peace and prosperity in the state and wished the people a happy 39th anniversary.

Delta Air Lines is set to expand its operations at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), with more than 200 daily departures planned at the peak of the summer 2027 schedule, strengthening connectivity for travellers within the United States and beyond.

The expansion, which Delta described as the largest and most premium experience in its history at LAX, will combine increased capacity with investments in airport facilities, premium services and onboard products.

The airline said the expanded LAX operation, together with its partners, will provide more than 200 daily departures during the summer peak.

Commenting on the development, Chief Revenue and Experience Officer at Los Angeles World Airports, Courtney Moore, said airline investment in connectivity was critical to strengthening Los Angeles as a global destination.

‘Los Angeles shapes, transforms, and influences the world, and LAX is proud to be the gateway connecting travellers to our city,’ Moore noted.

For Nigerian travellers, the expansion adds another routing option to Delta’s wider U.S. network. Delta operates nonstop services between Lagos and Atlanta, allowing passengers from Nigeria to connect through its Atlanta hub to destinations across the United States.

The increased LAX operation is particularly relevant to passengers travelling to California and other destinations on the U.S. West Coast, as well as those connecting onward to destinations across the Pacific.

From LAX, Delta serves 25 international destinations, including points in the South Pacific and Asia, providing additional connectivity beyond the U.S. domestic market.

The airline is also investing heavily in its LAX infrastructure through its $2.3 billion Sky Way project, which connects Terminals 2 and 3 and is designed to improve passenger flows and the overall airport experience.

Delta One customers have access to dedicated check-in facilities, private TSA security screening and Delta One Lounges. The airline also plans to open an additional Delta Sky Club at LAX in 2027.

The investment extends to the onboard experience, with Delta expanding its wine programme and offering fast, free Wi-Fi and Delta Sync entertainment to eligible customers across its network.

For Nigerian passengers travelling long-haul to the United States, the expanded LAX operation provides additional network options beyond the traditional East Coast gateways, particularly for journeys involving the U.S. West Coast and Pacific region.

Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) in Ogun State, under the aegis of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCIAN), have appealed to Governor Dapo Abiodun to ensure the full implementation of the Ogun State Disability Law before the expiration of his administration.

The bodies made the plea on Wednesday at a joint press briefing held at the NUJ Hall, Iwe Iroyin House, Abeokuta, describing the situation as a case of moving the law ‘from paper to action.’

Tribune Online recalled that the Ogun State Disability Law was assented to by former governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, in 2017.

The groups lamented that almost nine years after its enactment, the law had yet to reach the stage of full operational implementation.

The National President of the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria, Abdulwahab Matepo, said the delay had left persons with disabilities waiting for the legal framework to translate into functioning institutions, enforceable protections, accessible systems and practical opportunities.

Matepo explained that JONAPWD’s estimated data put the number of persons living with disabilities in Ogun State at 1,032,221, based on a 15 per cent benchmark applied to the National Population Commission’s 2025 population projection.

He stressed that behind the figures were people seeking access to education, healthcare, employment, transportation, infrastructure, economic opportunities and political participation without discrimination.

Similarly, the state chairman of JONAPWD, Ayo Awobona, said the groups had previously engaged with the Ogun State House of Assembly, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, traditional rulers and other stakeholders since 2025, including proposals for amendments to address identified gaps in the existing law.

Awobona also disclosed that a delegation of the disability community met with the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Oluwasina Olanrewaju Ogungbade, SAN, a few months ago, during which he assured them that he would work on the law and provide an update within two weeks.

The JONAPWD chairman acknowledged that the existing law might require amendments and urged the government to operationalise the law in accordance with due process while pursuing any necessary amendments simultaneously.

He further explained that the non-implementation of the law had practical consequences for PLWDs, including inaccessible public institutions, inadequate inclusive education and transportation, discrimination, harmful practices and limited participation in governance and decision-making.

JONAPWD and SCIAN emphasised that persons with disabilities were not seeking charity, but ‘rights, dignity, equality, accessibility, participation and inclusion,’ calling on Governor Abiodun to provide the necessary political direction to ensure that the process of implementing the law was concluded before the expiration of his tenure.

The groups also charged political parties and governorship candidates to make disability inclusion part of their policy agenda, while calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure accessible polling units, voting materials and appropriate assistance for persons with disabilities.