Ikorodu residents lament dilapidated state of roads

Etim Ekpimah

Lagos residents around Igbogbo, Igbe-Laara, Ijede, and Gberigbe in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State have decried the poor state of roads in the vicinity.

Our correspondent, who visited the areas on Tuesday, observed that all the roads that connect Igbogbo with Igbe-Laara to Ginti, and Laara to Ijede are in a state of disrepair.

A motorist, Mrs Shayo Babalola, told our correspondent that the roads around Igbe are hellish. She added that a journey on any of the roads around Igbe which was not supposed to last for two minutes takes an average of two hours or so.

She said: “This is not the road that should give the government headaches to do. The entire stretch of the road from Alfa to Ginti is around 2.5km. I don’t know how this road should be a problem for the government.

“I’m not sure this road will take any serious government three to four weeks to fix. They came here and campaigned heavily that they were going to fix these roads before their second term in office. They have secured their second term in office; the roads have yet to be fixed.

“If you come to these areas when it is raining, you will notice that the people will be locked out or in. Those at Banana Estate, Laara, Alfa, or those going to Ijede are cut up. Last year, trucks could not access Igbogbo from Laara. Their engines were submerged in the flood water.”

A petty trader, who described herself as Iya Bayo, told CitizenDiary that she was happy when one of the campaign vehicles of government was submerged in the flood before it was pushed out some days after the rain had stopped.

According to her, the government thought they were only being unkind to residents without knowing that some of them also make use of the roads around Igbe, even Gberigbe and Ijede.

“They thought they would always drive at high speed as they used to when the Igbogbo-Ginti road used to be fair. Now it is their own vehicle that got stuck in the flood. It was after some days when the rain had stopped that they were able to push out the vehicle.

“That vehicle is gone. I don’t think there is anything they can do to repair the vehicle’s engine. If you were here, you would have seen how the driver, unmindful of the flood, went into the water; the water got into almost the top of the vehicle. He was lucky to escape death,” she said.

A resident, who described himself as Deji, said three of his vehicles are in his house. He noted that the flood and bad roads ruined the three vehicles.

Deji said: “We are being treated unfairly in this country. You have not fixed roads; every time, we are taxed and fined N20,000 for not getting road worthiness certificate on time. I think the guys are just there to make lives miserable for the populace.”

Mr Gboyega Akosile, Media Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu, could not be reached for comments as his telephone rang out. He did not also respond to a text message that was sent to his telephone.