Residents of Ikorodu and Ijede have called on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to urgently intervene and save them from what they called shoddy road projects carried out on Federal Low Cost Bye-pass road under Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) and May Flower street, Ijede, under Ijede Local Council Development Area, both being part of Lagos 114 road projects.
While speaking to Oriwu Sun recently during an investigation, the residents living around the Low-Cost Bye-pass, including motorists plying the area, voiced their anger and disappointment over the way their road was hurriedly commissioned when it was obvious that DHV Nigeria limited, the contractor that handled the job, did a sub-standard job. Many of the residents, who did not want their names on print, alleged that the contractor was very slow with the project and as a result, failed to do a good job. Their grouse was that in order to meet up with the commissioning date, which was fixed for Wednesday, September 21, 2016, the road was hastily tarred overnight and commissioned in the morning of that Wednesday.
Some youths, who spoke to Oriwu Sun, revealed that they had wanted to disrupt the commissioning event since the road construction was not carried out properly, but the council authorities prevailed on them. They told the youths that the contractor would return to site after the commissioning to correct the wrongs on the road. A source from the council also told Oriwu Sun that all the council was after was to ensure that the road was successfully commissioned. Then afterward, the contractor would be returned to site to do the necessary repairs.
In a chat with the Sole Administrator of the council, Alhaja Shukurat Adewunmi-Okeowo, during the commission, she told Oriwu Sun she would rate the job ninety percent. She, however, added that within two weeks, the contractor would carry out needed repairs on the road. In her view, the road would reduce traffic congestion along Sabo round-about as it would serve as a bye-pass for motorists plying both Itoikin and Ikorodu-Sagamu roads.
Expressing his own views, Engr. Oriola Ajibola, who handled the project said, “The project given to us has been completed without delay, and the drainages, road and street lights have been completed to the delight of the local government and residents here. “Though, there were many challenges when we first started, like the design they gave us, which could not work, we decided to redesign the construction and the surface of the project. This took a bit of time. Also, we had to re-channel the drainage system to avoid flooding on the surface of the road, which may cause quick wearing of the road,” he explained.
However, in an investigation carried out by Oriwu Sun on August 25, 2016, it was discovered that drainages had been constructed on both sides of the road but yet to be given good surfacing and other infrastructure. On the day of the commissioning, it was also discovered that the road had been hurriedly and shoddily tarred and there were pools of water at various sections. Able-bodied men were seen sweeping out water in order for the commissioning, slated for that day, to take place successfully.
The commissioning of May Flower Crescent was to take place on Thursday, September 22, 2016 at Ijede Local Council Development Area but it could not hold because the project had not been completed and the ones already done were shoddily executed. In a brief interview with Oriwu Sun, the CDA Chairman of Mayflower Phase I, Prince Akintola Oluwafemi, revealed that the contractor had wanted the road project to be commissioned but the community objected to it. He said he was surprised when information reached him that the road was about to be commissioned, even when it was not completed.
The CDA Chairman condemned the contractor, Breeve Global Resources, for doing shoddy job on the road and wished that Governor Ambode could come personally to inspect the project. In his words, “The grading, the drainage system and everything they did on this road were bad. These people are those drawing Nigeria and Lagos State backward. We are not going to stand aside while they do shoddy works with tax payers’ money.” We spoke to the contractor and he said, “We are really trying hard to finish the project, even though we had a little delay.”
In his own views, the Sole Administrator of Ijede LCDA, Hon. Emmanuel Aguda said, “The contractor handling Mayflower crescent disappointed us and he could not meet up with the deadline. We have reported to the appropriate authority and they were of the opinion that the road must be completed. I want to assure the people that the project would be completed without further delay and they should have faith in the state government.”
The CDC Chairman of Ijede LCDA, Mr. Rotimi Ayoku Owolawi, stated that Mayflower road project could not be commissioned due to its poor condition. He assured residents that Governor Ambode would ensure the completion of the project. Prince Tunde Adenuga, the contractor that handled the three road projects successfully out of the twelve roads in Ikorodu had said that the terms and conditions given them by the government were practicable. He commended the monitoring, fixing and supervision of the project by both the state and local government. In his words, “There should be no flimsy excuse from any contractor not to have delivered the project because all resources were duly provided.”
In an investigation carried out by Oriwu Sun on Thursday, August 25, 2016, it was discovered that the drainages were not in good shape while the road had no good surface. It was indeed a shoddy job and an eye sore. The council engineer we met at the site during our investigation declined neither speaking to us nor allowing any photograph to be taken. Though the road was partially tarred, there were patches at several portions. Attempts were being made to fix the street lights but the drainage still looked bad.
However, in a recent discussion of the issue raised by the majority leader, Lagos State House of Assembly, under matter of urgent public importance, a member of the APC from Somolu Constituency I, Hon. Rotimi Olowo (APC), said that opposition members might be destroying state projects, but in a reply to him, a member of the PDP, Mr. Victor Akande, said it was wrong to accuse the opposition of destroying public facilities. “I would not agree with my good friend on that. No member of the opposition would destroy a project of the state government. This is a very wrong assertion, which is not acceptable,” he countered.
In Hon. Agunbiade’s view, he said, “The road has become an embarrassment to the people of the area and the contractor should be invited by the Assembly.” While making his own input, Hon. Tunde Braimoh from Kosofe Constituency II said the matter should be handled seriously by the Assembly, observing that local contractors were discouraging the government from patronizing them by doing shoddy works.
While commenting on the road project, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa instructed that the contractor and the supervising ministry should be invited to answer questions on the project. He directed the Chairman of the House Committee on Local Government Administration, Alimi Kazaeem, to tell members why the problem was not detected during their visits to the project sites. Alimi explained that the committee found that the jobs were eighty percent completed, but the speaker said that anything short of one hundred percent was not acceptable in such projects. The House, therefore, resolved to invite the contractor and the supervising ministry.