Follow Us on Google
• We’ll continue to repair bad roads across LGAs, says LSPWC
• Ogun residents say several communities afflicted by collapsed roads
By Kehinde Aderemi
Less than a year before the expiration of the present administration, motorists, commuters as well as other road users and residents of Lagos State are making urgent requests and appeals to the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
They are appealing to the state government to fix some roads that are in urgent need of repairs.
From Ikorodu to Badagry, Ikeja to Lekki and Epe, Lagosians are raising their voices, appealing and highlighting the challenges they are faced with as they navigate Lagos metropolis, especially during rainy season.
“In Ikorodu, the road from Garage to Sabo and to Low-Cost is not only bad, but it has been under construction for some time, even as I speak now. Motorists spend hours on the road to Imota, Agbowa and Itoikin,” Alhaji Yisa Ismail, a driver told Saturday Sun.
Ismail narrated his daily routine to the reporter. According to him, he leaves his Imota home by 5 am and in 10 minutes, he would hit the Bus stop. His passengers are already waiting patiently for him as early as 5:30 am.
“The less than 25 kilometres stretch between Imota and Ikorodu Garage should not take more than 45 minutes, but now it takes almost two hours. And on a rainy day, it takes even more.
“There are some sections of the road between Imota and Ikorodu Garage that are bad. Those of us that drive commercial buses tilt violently to avoid potholes,” he said.
Ismail is not alone, other road users that spoke to Saturday Sun said there are some roads in the state that need quick repairs, but they noted that the state government should not wait until the rainy season before embarking on palliative work or rehabilitation of roads across the state.
Also in Ikeja, the state capital, findings revealed that there are bad roads that also need urgent attention.
Media Consultant and Public Relation officer, Mr Clement Odum, said though the Lagos State government is doing a lot in terms of road rehabilitation, there are still some roads that need to be fixed, especially, as the rainy season begins.
He mentioned some roads in the Ikeja axis, which he said include Oba Akran, Adeniyi Jones, Guinness a few others. He urged the Lagos State governor to intervene as soon as possible.
“I have my office at Ikeja and I drive daily towards that route to Egbeda where I live. For instance, Guinness road, Oba Akran road and Adeniyi Jones also in Ikeja, need urgent rehabilitation.
“We are in the rainy season and most times when it rains, you see the level of drainages within Ikeja. It gets worse when you drive as the whole place gets flooded.
“During Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola’s administration, there was the Lagos State Public Works Corporation that handled road repairs and rehabilitation across the state.
“They are always available doing major repairs, rehabilitation and maintenance of these roads, but now, it seems the agency has gone to sleep because I have not been seeing them again”, he said.
Odum expressed concern about the maintenance of the roads. He said Nigerians lack maintenance culture, even as he urged road users to see the roads as public infrastructure and property, so as to protect the facilities.
“If we are asking government to fix our roads, we also need to play our roles by ensuring that those roads are judiciously maintained. It is our facilities and the best we can do is to protect them because like every other facility or property, roads get bad and they deteriorate as we use them. Even when there are no proper drainages, they become flooded, especially during the rainy season. So, we need to support the government in ensuring that the roads are in good shape as we use them.”
Marketing Manager, News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs Tolu Ajibade, said Lagos State government is doing far better than its Ogun State counterpart in terms of road rehabilitation and construction.
Ajibade, who lives in Lagos but also travels weekly to Ogun State, narrated her ugly experiences while navigating Sango to Abeokuta. She compared the two states in terms of road construction and rehabilitation.
Other News
According to her, driving within Lagos metropolis are not bad, because there are good roads across the state, except for a few ones that need to be fixed. She stated further that unlike Lagos State,Ogun State roads are nothing but a hell.
“I live in Lagos State, but I do travel to Ogun State every week. Honestly, Lagos State is far ahead of Ogun State in terms of road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance.
“Well, the issue here is not about comparison,but I am also using this as an opportunity to appreciate the Lagos State Government and to also appeal to the Ogun State Government to help fix the bad across the state.
“I drive on Lagos roads and I see the level of their seriousness as they embark on several constructions, rehabilitation and maintenance of roads.
“But I dare not take my car to Ogun State because the state has the worst road in Nigeria. Except for Abeokuta, which is the capital of the state, where you can see a few good roads, there is no other good roads in the state.
For instance, in some parts of Ogun State, whenever it rains, just stay at home or wherever you are, or else you would face the worst nightmare because you are not going to be able to move on that road.
“Last week, I was on my way to Abeokuta for an official assignment and I passed through Sango. And it rained that very day. Believe me, everyone was just stranded on that road.
“It was hell. People are paying taxes and I wonder what the Ogun State government is doing with the tax payers’ money?
“Construction of good roads are some of the things that they are supposed to do. With good road network,the farmers will be able to move their goods easily to the town”, she stated.
Meanwhile, Pastor Paul Adebayo said he was happy that the Isheri-LASU road has been fixed.
He said residents of the area had faced terrible traffic situation when the roads are being constructed but added that the construction had lessened the pain of commuters that use the road.
Adebayo described roads as a public utility which, he said must be protected from damage and deterioration. He said there should be law against anybody that tends to destroy Lagos roads.
“Lagos is an expansive metropolis where both major expressways and localised inner-city streets face severe deterioration.
“Across the state, heavy-duty vehicles, blocked drainages have left thousands of motorists in Lagos State battling deep potholes and traffic daily.
“Many of the road users are also careless with the way they use the roads. They will not value anything until they lose it. That is the nature of human beings.
“Even in some parts of Ikoyi, which happens to be the homes of the rich and affluent people, residents are troubled by bad roads. In Victoria Island, all the adjoining roads, including Bishop Oluwole are also not too good.
“In Victoria Island and also along the Lekki-Epe Expressway, some sections of the road from Chevron down to Ajah, as well as portions near Abraham Adesanya and Eleko junction need urgent rehabilitation.
“Some streets in Victoria Island like Balarabe Musa Street, Molade Okoya Street, and portions of Ahmadu Bello Way also need to be fixed. These roads frequently suffer from structural degradation due to heavy construction traffic”, he stated.
Meanwhile, the General Manager, Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Tokunbo Ajanaku, an engineer, in a recent encounter with journalists gave updates on the daily schedule of the agency. He said the Lagos State Government has accelerated a massive infrastructure renewal programme.
The LSPWC boss maintained that the Lagos State Government through the corporation is currently working on massive state-wide palliatives, and major continuous rehabilitation works were going on across the state.
He mentioned some of the roads the agency is working on, even as he pointed out that though the rainy season is here, the Lagos State agency would continue to perform its function of fixing bad roads across the state.
“We have a day-to-day schedule of activities that covers the entire state. The state government is addressing bad roads through multiple targeted strategies, including routine maintenance and palliative repairs.
“The Lagos State Public Works Corporation LSPWC executes rapid, continuous palliatives and pothole filling across inner roads and major highways, often utilising high-grade asphalt or interlocking stones for durability against flooding,” he said.
