Ugo Aliogo
Community leaders in Ibeju-Lekki and Mopo 1 in the Eti-Osa area of Lagos have lamented the deplorable state of access roads connecting the Okun-Ajah-Okun-Mopo-Lekki-Iwerekun-Eleko-Epe road, and called on the Lagos State Government to attend to them.
Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos recently, the Baale of Mopo 1, Eti-Osa, Chief Akinlade Adekunle, said they had taken steps and been to the state’s House of Assembly to complain about the bad state of the road but that the lawmakers merely assured them that something would be done.
Adekunle also stated that they had spoken to the state’s Commissioner of Works and the Environment who expressed government’s commitment to repairing the road.
“Since we were very young and our fathers were following politicians like Obafemi Awolowo and others, this road has always been like this.
“We have so many towns in this area. Our fathers then did their best to open the roads themselves through Direct Labour. They gathered themselves and patched the roads, so it could be motorable. But even then, it was only vehicles with auxiliary gear that can ply the road. Land Rover was the most common jeep in those days before now.
“Since then, we have always supported any political party that is trending in the western region. They know the road here, if they need our vote and want to come and ask us to vote for them,” he noted.
The Baale explained that politicians who have received immense support from the community had failed in repairing the road and that they continued in making numerous promises to the people.
“It is this same road that they always use for election campaigns, deceiving us that they would construct the road if we vote for them.
“They would promise us that, by the grace of God, if they win the election, the road the first thing they would do. But till the end of their tenure, they wouldn’t fulfil their promise. Even if another person comes to power, it is always the same old story,” the royal father lamented.
He also said under the present administration, there had been promises to repair the road, but that nothing significant had been done in putting the road in a better condition.
Adekunle added, “If they don’t do it, we won’t vote for them again.
“Those who have vehicles always take their vehicles to the mechanics every week. Pupils are also unable to go to school once it rains. Even okada riders are not left out,” he said.
Also speaking, the Olumopo of Ibeju-Lekki, Chief Lamoriyu Isiaka, said the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, at a town hall meeting in Apapa recently, pleaded with the community to be patient, that he would repair the road, adding that the previous administration had made the same promise without fulfilling it.
Isiaka said it had been almost impossible, bringing all their agricultural produce such as banana, garri and plantain to the metropolis because of the bad state of the road, which he noted, has brought a lot of sufferings to the people.
According to Isiaka “There is no road. We are really suffering. And we called on the governor, but he kept promising us that he would do it.
“But till today, we are still in the same situation. All the farm produce that we could sell to make money, we are always unable to get them to Lagos due to the state of the road. Some of the produce that are supposed to sell for N2 are usually sold for N1 because we know before we can get them to Lagos, they would definitely get spoilt. So, we are not enjoying the proceeds from the sales of our farm produce.
“We are really suffering, and we have called on the governor to come to our aid and all they have been saying is that they are going to do it for us. It is always the same after the election,” he urged.
