Plaudits From Residents, Commuters As Sanwo-Olu Commission Roads In Agege, Igando-Ikotun

By BENJAMIN OMOIKE

 LAGOS, Nigeria – Lagos State Government, on Wednesday, commissioned the reconstructed Abaranje Road in Ikotun-Igando Local Council Development Area and Babajide Sanwo Olu (Old Dopemu) Road in Agege Local Government Area.

The 3.86km Abaranje Road in Ikotun – Igando Local Council Development Area, Alimosho Local Government is a major arterial that provides access from the densely populated Abaranje community to connect Igando on LASU – Iba Road in  Igando- Ikotun Local Council Development Area.

Speaking during the commissioning, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the reconstruction of the Abaranje Road further demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the administration to continually energize local economy by providing essential infrastructure that would promote development across the nooks and crannies of the State.

He said the Lagos State Government is determined to bring relief to residents and make commuting pleasurable to the people of the  state.

Governor Sanwo-Olu added that aside from the Roads commissioned today, Alimosho has a fair share of road projects that have been completed by the Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led Administration. These include Akesan Obadore Road, Ishefun Camp-Davies Road with A Jetty, Lagos-Ogun State Boundary Road (Phase 2), Agric Access Road (Bamidele Kasali/Disu Ekunrin Road), Isuti Road,

Sanwo-Olu added that the administration has also embarked on the reconstruction and rehabilitation of about 28 others, namely Akesan Igando Road; Ijegun – Ijagemo Road; Ile-Eja, Ola-Iya/Ajibola Hassan, Alh Mustapha-Olu Adeyanju With Bridge, Rabiatu Ogedengbe Road Network; Oke-Anu /Ezenwaobi Streets; Famakin Road; Rilwan Onifade/Osidele Streets in Ikotun; Rabiatu Ogedengbe; Alhaji Waidi Ewenla, and many others are presently under construction, while so many other routine maintenance and palliative works are simultaneously ongoing on several roads within Alimosho. 

Governor Sanwo-Olu commended the Lagos State Public Works Corporation for the strategic intervention and reconstruction of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu Road in Dopemu, saying it shows that the administration’s heavy investment and efforts to reposition the Corporation as a world-class Construction outfit are indeed yielding positive fruit.

He said the delivery of these road projects and 35 others earlier, even as we enter into the penultimate lap of the administration’s tenure, is an indication that “ours is not just about promises and hopes but of plans, delivery, and a commitment to serve the citizenry better”, he said. 

In his welcome address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Infrastructure, whose office supervised the delivery of the project, said that before the award, Abaranje Road was in a deplorable state.

It was narrow, flood-prone, and riddled with failed sections that caused daily hardship for road users and residents. The absence of proper drainage, combined with the growing population and increased vehicular movement, was a challenge for commuters.

According to Funmilayo Daniel, a resident, “This road is a good one. The government did not just give us a road; they gave us a solid road. Unlike before that people are afraid to visit us, but with the new improvement on our road, it’s easier and safer for our people.”

Speaking on the condition of the road, Idowu Olaiya, a landlord in the area, said “before now to go out was difficult. The journey from here to Ikotun is just about 3 minutes if the road is okay. But now it takes us almost 30 minutes, which is very unfortunate. I don’t go out with my car. What type of life is that? After struggling to get money for my life, everything looks miserable.”

Joseph Njoku, a businessman in the area, said, “The road was so bad that even before you get to your house, you spend less than 2,000 naira from this Ikotun to your own house in Ikotun here. At times, the road is so bad that you cannot cross to the other side. Maruwa will not cross. The motor will not cross. The bike will not cross. Everybody has to stop over. If we reach, we’ll stop. We’ll use the leg and cross, and enter another bus going to the street. Adama Remember, A commercial tricyclist said, “Passing the road is a kind of nightmare because any money we make, we spend it on repairing Marwa.”

According to Obinna Ochaya, “The journey is faster, there is ease of movement, and like I told you, you wouldn’t even believe it’s up to 3.96 kilometers. Before, we used to think it was about 10 kilometers. We say thank you for coming to our aid. The road was too bad before, almost impassable, not too good. We suffered traffic, and we suffered floods. But right now, as I talk to you, by coming to our aid, it is fairer, better now.”

He stressed “with the road now in good motorable condition, it has become the darling of commercial drivers and riders,” even as he expressed gratitude to the governor for coming to the aid of the people.