January 21, 2016 – Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday expressed displeasure on the state of Ajasa-Command and Abesan roads, just as he assured residents that work would commence on the roads within the next two weeks.
Ambode, who spoke during an inspection tour of the areas, expressed displeasure at the deplorable condition of the roads, saying such was unacceptable in the state.
The Governor assured that work would commence on the Ajasa-Command axis, after Ile-Iwe junction, where the previous road construction stopped, explaining that the project will accommodate walkways, street lights and drainage systems.
At the Command Military School, the Deputy Director in the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Engr Rasheed Akindele who briefed the Governor on the current state of the road, said the project was undertaken by the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) around 2011/2012, but the Ministry of Works took the project further to the Command Bridge and then to Ipaja axis.
According to him, due to the volume of vehicular movement in the area as residents prefer to link Ipaja and Ayobo through the axis from Alagbado, the road deteriorated due to neglect.
Also, a community leader in the area, Alhaji Abdulrazak Olajide, told the Governor and his entourage, that the people have been suffering a lot in the axis due to lack of road, pipe-borne water, health facility, electricity and schools.
While addressing a large crowd that trooped out to see him, Governor Ambode said as a responsive and responsible government, work would commence on the road within the next two weeks.
He said: “I felt sad when I got here to see the state of the roads in this area. It is so displeasing, it is disheartening and it is totally unacceptable to me. I have been reading about the state of this area from several letters written to me by residents and that was what made me to decide to come and see the state of things for myself.
“I will start from where they stopped work previously at Ekoro Road and we will fix the drainage from there to Ajasa here within the next two weeks. We will not stop at that, we will fix the roads also. We are going to fix this road from Command Bridge down to Command and Ikola.
“In addition to that, I have listened to one of the leaders in this community. We are bringing schools into this community. One of our priorities for 2016 which we have stated in our budget tagged ‘The People’s Budget’ is to provide schools and health centres for all our communities and we will make sure that this part of Lagos is well represented in that provision.
“I just want you to be patient and cooperate with the contractors and when we do the road, we are also going to do street lights. Above all, when we do all these, you also make sure that you pay your taxes,” Governor Ambode said.
At Abesan, Governor Ambode, who trekked about 900 meters from Church Road down to Giwa Street to inspect the Abesan link road, equally promised that work would commence on the road within the next two to three weeks.
Addressing the people of the area, Governor Ambode said: “We are here in Ipaja and we have moved from the junction at Ekoro road joining from Church Street up to this point in Giwa. We have seen that the roads here are in very deplorable state. The best option for us is to commence this project immediately. We are going to construct from Church road down to Aboru and then do the bridge that will link this Giwa Street to Abesan Estate and also down to Iyana Ipaja.
“We will do the drainage, street light and then walkway also. What I just want to tell all the people in Aboru is to be patient with us. The contractor will move to site within the next two to three weeks. We have also told the contractor to employ people from this area to do the job. All you need to do is to cooperate with government and the contractor. Before the end of this year, the project must have been completed and we will be back to walk on the roads together”, he said.
Responding on behalf of the community, a resident, Pa Samuel Babatope, said they were elated to see the Governor in their community, expressing optimism that the visit of the Governor was a confirmation of the fact that the roads will be fixed.
“We have been hearing that our road will be fixed, but we used to think it is one of those lies from politicians. We are happy that it is now a reality that our road will be fixed. I thank the Governor and his team and pray that God will continue to help them to deliver on their promises and make life easy for residents,” Babatope said.
