By Lukman Olabiyi
The 32-kilometer Ikorodu-Itokin Expressway is the major road that connects Ikorodu with Epe. It also leads to Ijebu-Ode and its environs, connecting Lagos with Ogun State.
But the current state of the road has made it a hell for its users and residents. The road was constructed by the military regime of General Yakubu Gowon in 1975. However, it has become an embarrassment to both Lagos State and the Federal Governments.
Apart from its connectivity to other states, the road is of critical economic importance. It sevices such establishments as the new Mile 12 Market; permanent site for Oko Baba Saw Millers, Timberville Agbowa; Graduate Farmers Scheme, Agbowa; Caleb University, Salabo; Lagos State University of Technology, Itamaga; Ikeja Electricity Distribution Transmission Centre, Imota; Farm Settlement, Imota; Rice Processing Mill, Imota; proposed Lagos State Film Village, Ikosi-Ejirin and Container Terminal, Itokin.
The interstate highway is the major route for transporting goods to towns in the Ikorodu-Itokin axis. Other commercial activities along the highway include hotels, filling stations, bakeries, factories and relaxation centres. But many of these are gradually folding up due to the deplorable state of the road. It has been neglected for long, leading to its current dilapidated and impassable condition.
The agonies and lamentations of residents living along the road have not yielded positive response from government. Late year, former governor and immediate past Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said reconstruction of the road would commence in January 2023. That still remains a tall dream. Nothing is on ground to signify hope for commuters and residents.
The police and other law enforcement agencies mounted countless checkpoints along the route, extorting money from transporters and compounding their woes. During rainy season as now, it worsening the situation and plight of the road users. Notwithstanding, business owners and transporters continued to plead with the both state and federal governments to come to their rescue.
Chairman, Joint Communities Development Associations (JCA), Mr. Oladele Mutau Winjobi, urged government to address the plight of the people by initiating the reconstruction of the Ikorodu-Itokin Expressway.
He said: “The road has become a death trap and is affecting lots of things including businesses. People are suffering due to long hours being spent on the road, the risk involved in driving on the road.
“We are pleading with the Federal Government to come our rescue. The suffering on this road is too much. It is no longer bearable for us, moving in and out of this area is problem. A journey of five minute now takes an hour. Cost of transportation is crazy as transporters are no longer willing to ply our route.
“Recently, our local government chairman did some palliative on the road but it amounted to nothing as a result of the rain. Before the election, we heard that the reconstruction would commence in January.
Nothing of such is on site. We just want to continue to plead with the government to come to our rescue.”
A trader and resident, Folashade Mabadeje, said: “We are begging President Bola Tinubu to come and help us fix this road. The cost of transport is becoming unbearable. We cannot really blame the transporters but the bad road. Government should consider our plight
and do the needful.”
A commercial driver, Boye said: “Operating along this route is a
serious problem. The road is bad and the police are exploiting us at
every five kilometres. A day cannot pass by without going to the
mechanic workshop to repair my vehicle. This will influence the fare
we do charge.”
Kehinde Aderemi, resides in the area but works in Ikeja: “Many
businesses are being paralysed due to this bad road. Hours being spent
on this road is killing. Prompt action in reconstructing this road
will not only benefit the government but also earn appreciation from
the residents.”