“See Where We Need You” – Lagos Residents Tell Ambode

By Bose Adelaja, Ebun Sessou, Damilola Olabiyisi & Obinna Mbajunwa
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State is daily winning the hearts of many residents. No week passes without the commissioning one project or the other.
Road construction appears his major focus although other sectors are also receiving attention. The first phase has the government commissioning 114 roads across the length and breadth of the state. The second phase will commence soon. Ambode stands out among the governors. His performance speaks for him.
In spite of this, a walk round Lagos reveals that many major roads require urgent attention to ease off traffic jam in those areas.
Some of the roads have turned death traps. Hoodlums rob and dispossess innocent road users of their belongings on these bad spots.
The 114 roads were designed with walkways, medians, street lights and standard drainage systems in readiness for the building of the mega city.
However, some scenes may not be pleasant to a first time visitor during the rainy season.
In Apapa, some of the roads begging for attention are Airways junction, Eleganza to Flourmill, in Ikorodu, places like Isawo road, Igbo-Olomu, Ijede road,
Ebute/Igbogbo road, Bayeku road, Igbe road, Erunwen road and Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way, Igbogbo require government attention before the next wet season.
In Mende, Maryland, areas like Arowojobe, Soluyi and several others are deplorable due to years of neglect by by the past administrations.
At Soluyi, Gbagada, residents complain about poor state of access roads to their community.
A walk round the area reveals there are about four roads in the community to connect Ogudu, Maryland, and Ifako areas, but the routes are inaccessible to vehicles and some of the residents have to park their cars and trek a long distance to their various homes. They are left with the option to access the only road near Gbagada General Hospital which is far for many of them.
In Mushin, places like Daleko, Ojuwoye, Oju-Erin, Olosa, Moshalashi, Palm Avenue, Idi-Araba and many others are also begging for attention while in Surulere, Lawanson, Itire Ijesha and so many others require reconstruction and rehabilitation.
Others are Ayetoro/Itele road, Ekoro road, Meiran road, Suberu-Oje road, Kollington/Agbado road and Ajegunle/Abule-Iroko road all in Alimosho area which have turned to death traps.
In Apapa, residents claimed the Airways junction was formerly rehabilitated by a Good Samaritan who was later discouraged and the road is now out of use to motorists.
During Saturday Vanguard’s visit to the area, residents lamented the deplorable condition of the road which has affected a lot of businesses.
Same is the case with Lekki-Epe where road users groan daily because of the near collapse of some roads. A commercial bus driver Obi Chukwu, lamented the poor condition of the roads, he said, “The effect of bad roads in Lagos can be frustrating, not only does it cause untold hardship to many road users but also exposes them to danger and insecurity,”
Narrating her experience, a car owner Uju Nwokedi told Saturday Vanguardhow she was attacked by hoodlums on her way home last week.
According to her, “there was traffic jam on Lekki/Epe expressway and I decided to use the alternative route but barely five minutes into the Ikota First Gate route to burst out to Ilaje, I was attacked by some hoodlums who collected my phones, laptops and cash.”
At Mushin/Isolo road, a commercial driver, Kazeem Fatai narrated how he ventured into the business in 2010, unfortunately, the effect of bad road is already taken its toll on him.
In Igbogbo, Ikorodu, the immediate past administration started a road project on Igbogbo/Ebute road but this was done half way leaving road users to die in silence due to the dilapidated road network.
A resident of Abigail Sobajo street James Ogunyemi urged the state government to look into their plight by fixing the road.
A pupil of AUD Primary School, Igbogbo, Lukman Oduniyi said ‘’this is the only road leading to my school but we have been finding it difficult to access it especially at peak hours because some commercial motorcycles charge astronomically due to the poor condition of the road,”
During a visit to Apapa, it was observed that the Airways junction and Flourmill areas have been washed off by rains.
The Sole Administrator of Oshodi/Isolo local government, Adebayo Taiwo said the re-construction of some streets in Oshodi which include Ogunlana and Boladale among others can only commence later.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman House Committee on Works and Infrastructure, Abiodun Tobun, said the state government was trying its best to ensure that roads in Lagos are in good shape.
He disclosed that, apart from the 114 roads that are being commissioned by the state government, the representatives of all the local councils have been asked to submit the list of bad roads in their communities to begin the second phase of road construction.