Fresh concerns have emerged over the rehabilitation of the Animashaun–Beepee Road in Ota, Ogun State, following revelations that contractors allegedly abandoned the project despite receiving millions of naira in public funds.
Records indicate that in September 2024, the sum of ₦64.4 million was paid to MESSR Sail Through Construction Ltd for the rehabilitation of the road. However, an investigation conducted in May 2026 reportedly found that the official contractors had not returned to the project site since 2024.
Residents told investigators that the ongoing grading of the road is not being carried out by the government contractor but by FIDSON, a private pharmaceutical manufacturing company operating in the area.
The findings have further raised questions after the same project resurfaced in the 2025 Federal Budget under the description, “Payment of Outstanding Liabilities on Executed Limited Rehabilitation of Animashaun–Beepee Road, Ota, Ogun State,” with an additional allocation of ₦262 million.
The budgetary provision suggests that the rehabilitation work had been executed and outstanding liabilities were being settled. However, field observations reportedly contradict that position, with evidence indicating that the government-approved contractor has remained absent from the site while road improvement efforts are being undertaken by a private firm.
The apparent discrepancy between government records and conditions on the ground has sparked demands for greater transparency and accountability in the execution of the project.
Residents have called on the Federal Ministry of Works, Nigeria (FMWNG), the implementing agency, to publicly disclose the full details of the contract, including the scope of work, payments made, project status and the reasons behind the prolonged absence of the contractor from the site.
The development has intensified calls for a thorough investigation into the utilisation of public funds earmarked for the project, amid growing concerns over accountability in the execution of critical infrastructure projects.
