About eight years after Lagos State government started the construction of Igbe Laara Road, Ikorodu, it has not been completed. It has actually been abandoned with the residents, visitors and motorists left to bear the brunt of the non-completion of the road.

For many residents, the initial excitement that came with the presence of Hitech Construction Company has long faded and the long years they left the site has made residents to lose hope on the possibility of being completed.

Daily, residents continue to face difficulties commuting the road owing to the poor state of the construction, especially during rainy season.

According to residents who spoke to The Guardian, the road has not seen any real progress since 2021. For those who live and work in the area, the situation has affected not just their movement, but also their livelihoods.

“It’s like they’ve forgotten us,” said Morounkeji Adebayo, a resident who has lived in the area for years. “They started the road in 2017, came back around 2019, worked for a short time, then left again in 2021. Since then, we’ve not seen any activity there. We’ve given up,” Adebayo lamented.

For Adebayo and many others, the rainy season is the most difficult time to ply the road. With no proper drainage or access, the road becomes inaccessible. “Water covers the road completely that you will need help to cross. Some people have even turned it into business, they carry others across and get paid,” she disclosed.

According to Papi, another resident, the state of the road is hindering the development of the entire area.

“People are moving out; even those who own land here have refused to develop them. Just look around; bushes and trees everywhere. This road is killing the progress of this community,” he said.

For business owners, the situation is even worse. Mr. Shola Alao, a vulcanizer, said the poor condition of the road affects both his business and his ability to survive.

“During rainy season, I hardly get any customer,” he complained. “This is because water takes over the road and nobody wants to come this way. I even join others to carry people across the water just to make some money at least to be able to feed myself.”

Another resident, Shola, said sometimes he had to go to people’s houses or farms to work as a labourer. “I can’t just sit in my shop without doing anything. This road has made things very hard for us,” he said.

The frustration cuts across residents, workers, and even those who once relied on the road. Mr. Ayotunde Akinlade, who lives in a nearby community — Gberigbe said he used to pass through Igbe Laara regularly. But with improvements in Gberigbe road, he no longer ply Igbe Laara Road because of the deplorable state of the road.

“I was shocked when I visited a friend there last Sunday, only to see that the road is still the same. Nothing has changed. No work is going on.”

Efforts to get the Director, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure to speak on the delay and abandonment of the road project were not successful. Initially, he did not pick his calls nor responded to the messages sent to him, but when he picked on Friday, and promised to get back. He has not got back as at press time.