The residents of Agric-Isawo and Igbogbo in Ikorodu division of Lagos State have appealed to the Lagos State and Hitech Construction Company to hasten the construction works on the ongoing road projects in their area. They made the statement on Friday, August 31, 2018, when Oriwu Sun visited the areas to monitor the extent of work done.
At Igbogbo, the road, which links Ijede, Igbe and other areas did not show any sign of construction work going on as residents complained that the construction equipment moved to the site were missing, accusing the contractors of evacuating it without doing any major work. In Agric-Isawo, the situation was the same as no appreciable progress was made in the construction of the road, though there were construction equipment on site. Those who were interviewed by Oriwu Sun bared their minds on the state of the roads.
Mrs. Olagunju Okiki, a trader at Agric bus stop, said that due to the delay in the construction of the road, she finds it difficult to make sales. She stated that since her shop was demolished, she had nowhere to sell her wares. She appealed to the government to provide a market for the affected traders and also to mobilise the contractors to finish the road project on time.
A bike rider at Agric bus stop, Mr. Tijani Rafiu, said the road had caused him more harm than good because of its state of disrepair. According to him, he spends money on repair every day on his bike, He also called on the government to come to their rescue.
Mrs. Olutoye, a resident and an APC stalwart, Ward D, Ajaguro, disclosed that most of the residents are very delighted about the ongoing construction. She said that in spite of the challenges the road posses, by the time the contractors finish, everyone would benefit from it. She extended her gratitude to Governor Ambode for the project. Mr. Adedeji Adekunle, a resident of Isawo, on the other hand, complained of excessive dust as a result of the present state of the road and flooding during rainy season, which makes residents’ movement from one place to another a nightmare. He blamed a river along Isawo road as being responsible for the flooding, necessitating the use of canoe by the road users.
In Mr. Adefioye Bamidele’s view, the delay in the construction work was caused by lack of adequate machinery by Hitech Company handling the projects. He also pointed out that the lack of drainage was another major cause of road dilapidation while also citing the demolition of houses as a major cause of electricity problem in the area. Some houses, according to him, are without electricity poles. Bamidele also talked about the issue of compensation and disclosed that the government has not been able to fulfil its promise. However, other victims interviewed at Isawo and Agric axis concerning the issue of compensation said they had nothing to say on the matter since they had been compensated by the State Government.
Mrs. Kudirat Sunmonu, a trader, accused the State Government of being responsible for the delay in the construction of the roads. She said if they had paid the contractors, work would have been faster and the challenges being faced by residents wouldn’t have come up. In her own reactions, Mrs. Olufemi Olabode and Kelvin Isaac blamed the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Lagos State Government for using the road as a ploy to get the support of the people of Igbogbo in the coming general elections in 2019. They also asked why the State Government demolished houses without commencing construction immediately. They both urged the government to urgently intervene by ordering the contractors back to site.
Efforts made by Oriwu Sun to get the opinions of the officials of the Hitech Company at their office in Agric proved abortive as they insisted that only their boss was authorized to speak to the press.