Ogun communities appeal for access road to link Sango

In Ado-Odo Ota Local Council of Ogun State, there is a cluster of neglected communities now crying for government help, but none is in urgent need of rehabilitation than Itoki, inhabited by over two million people.

The roads in the area and those linking Itoki to neighbouring towns and villages are in shambles. Unfortunately, palliative efforts of the Community Development Associations (CDAs) have not yielded positive results. Reason: The project is so capital intensive that they cannot be shouldered by the poor masses inhabiting the communities.

However, they are not waiting helplessly for government’s intervention. At the weekend, the communities, organized into four CDAs – Itesiwaju, Ire Akari, Oluwasemilore, and Ifejoba CDA, got new officers inaugurated into office to pilot the affairs of the community.

Mr. Asu Anthony was sworn-in as chairman of Itesiwaju CDA, Mr. Fasina Babajide Olugbenga as chairman of Ire Akari CDA, and Comrade Sikiru Yusuf as chairman of Oluwasemilore CDA. And in separate interviews with The Guardian, they all clamoured for one thing: the need for the state government to bring development closer to the grassroots.

Unanimously, they have one project in mind – the construction of Itoki Road to lead to Gateway Hotel in Sango Ota and reduce pressure on the busy Sango-Ota roundabout. “There is no visible presence of government in this area. Everything we have done has been through communal efforts like construction of drainages, culverts, electrification, security, water and grading of some major roads.

“We don’t have a government school as big as this area is. A good way to start will be the construction of the major road that passes through the community to link up with the industrial city of Sango-Ota. Such critical infrastructure will open up the community to development,” Anthony said.

Community leader and pioneer chairman of Ire Akari CDA, Venerable Simeon Oyelumade, said the state government should emulate what Lagos State government is doing, “which is constructing at least two roads in all the 57 local councils. That is taking development to the grassroots, not concentrating all the flyovers in the cities alone.”