Bad Road ‘Warns’ New Lagos Gov

THE new governor of Lagos risks spending the next couple of years in office unable to rehabilitate one of the state’s most deplorable and nerve-wracking roads. Besides disturbing potholes, major sections of the road have completely ceased to exist.

The result is that motorists cram into single lanes with frustrating gridlocks. Blame, at a point, was placed at the doorstep of the road’s drainage construction.

The structure, with dangerously open manholes, has, however, been completed. Yet, repair of the road seems nowhere in sight. There are strong indications that while the newly elected governor might approach work with the noblest of intentions, the weather could actually rubbish the good plans he has to ease the years long suffering of the road’s users.

Iyana Ejigbo road, for reasons beyond scientific explanation, is the subject of unusual rainfall, with heavy downpours occurring seven days a week, four weeks a month, and 12 months a year – every year! This unfortunate situation has crippled efforts by past governments to repair the road, consequently giving it the semblance of abandonment.

Recall that two years ago, Governor Fashola gave assurance to residents of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area that solution would be offered to the problem of bad roads in the area.

He was addressing members of Community Development Associations across the state, during the celebration of year 2013 Community Day, at Police College Parade Ground, Ikeja.

“As for residents of Ejigbo, I feel your pain as regards your bad road network. I must confess, I received all your text messages, and I feel your pain.

Presently, we are working on 254 roads in the state. All our contractors are engaged and the weather is not in our favour. As soon as there is climate satisfaction, we will move to improve road network in Ejigbo.

I feel your pain,” the governor had said. When The Guardian spoke with the Executive Secretary of Ejigbo LCDA, Mr. Tajudeen Jaiye Alabi, recently, the climate, once again, was in the dock, accused, as it were, of tying the hands of both the state government and the LCDA behind their backs, and preventing them from coming to the rescue of residents.

“No! No!! No!!!” exclaimed Mr. Alabi, as he countered allegation that Iyana Ejigbo has been abandoned. “The stretch of road, up to Powerline Junction, was done by the state government. The rains continued even till December; it was so torrential.

You don’t need to be an engineer to know that you cannot do any road construction during the rain. So, immediately the rain stops…” In what has become a reinforcement of the mysteriousness of the showers at Iyana Ejigbo, other roads snaking through Alimosho Local Government have either been completed or are at advanced stages of completion.

Roads, like Jakande-NNPC, Jakande-Ijegun and Idimu-Ejigbo, have all witnessed major impact by government. Unless the new Lagos State government moves urgently to understudy the cause of the incessant rainfall, with a view to curbing it, the horrors of Iyana Ejigbo road might outlive the administration. When The Guardian visited the road last week, the rain was pouring heavily.

As at the time of going to press, the rain was still falling. And as you are reading this, the rain is still falling at Iyana Ejigbo road! Efforts to get the reaction of the news governor, of course, proved abortive.