James Sowole
Residents of Journalists Estate, Arepo and other adjourning communities in Obafemi/Owode Local Government area of Ogun State have commended, the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on the reconstruction of 2.5km road in the area.
The reconstruction of the road in the estate, located off Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, was described, by the journalists and non-journalists, as promise kept by the governor.
The road according to findings was at 85 per cent completion level.
It was gathered that the governor, had during his electioneering campaign in the area, promised to construct the road, that had hitherto been causing untold hardship to the residents.
According to the residents, while the construction carried out on the road by the former Governor Gbenga Daniel, could not stand the test of time due to lack of proper drainage, Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, who re-awarded the contract for the road, failed to mobilise the contractor.
Disturbed by the deplorable state of the road due to the lack of mobilisation by the Amosun administration, the Arepo Central Community Development Association (ACCDA) embarked a palliative measure, which cost them N18 million.
They said hope of relief however, came in January, 2021, when Abiodun signed the contract for the Arepo road, and in April 2021, the contractor was mobilised to the site.
Assuring that the project would not be one of the usual ones, the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Ade Akinsanya said: “The new Journalists Estate Road, Arepo will bring relief to road users along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway axis who have faced difficult times navigating their ways to their home, especially during the rainy season.”
He added that there would be no abandonment of the project because it had been well funded, dualised and with medium and street lights.
Pleased by the level and quality of job on the road, a resident of the Estate, and former General Secretary of the Lagos State chapter, NUJ, Sylva Okereke, commended the governor for the project.
Okereke said, “Quality of materials used for the reconstruction are super-standard, hence the road would withstand the test of time.
“The contractor is unequalled in his choice of materials for the reconstruction works. The simple law of value analysis shows that by implication, the value of landed properties in and Arepo axis would shore up after the completion of the all-important community feeder road.
“The governor has walked his talk when he promised residents a face-lift in infrastructural developments in the area.”
