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Border communities seek attention as Ogun begins palliatives on Ota road

By Gbenga Akinfenwa
30 August 2019   |   2:59 am
The scourge of bad roads in the industrial hub of Ota, Ogun State, is not only being felt by residents but also industries, running into hundreds, in the gateway state.

Palliative measures at KM 38 of Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, Ota

The scourge of bad roads in the industrial hub of Ota, Ogun State, is not only being felt by residents but also industries, running into hundreds, in the gateway state.

Industries in Ota and Agbara commercial hubs are groaning under the poor environment that has stunted efforts at growing their businesses, as the state of the roads daily frustrates the transportation of raw materials and manufactured goods in and out of the factories to other states of the country.

With the huge investment in road infrastructure in Ogun, critical road infrastructure is in terrible shape. Daunted by the enormous burden of these critical roads to the economic wellbeing of the state, the Dapo Abiodun-led administration has embarked on palliative measures on some roads in order to alleviate the harrowing experience of residents.

The measures, The Guardian gathered is not only to alleviate the suffering of the people but as a stopgap to give room for proper planning and execution of major road projects. This is besides the move to rehabilitate three major federal roads linking the state and Lagos, which are Ikorodu-Ogijo-Shagamu, Epe-Ijebu/Ode and Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta roads.

The governor had in August in an interaction with the World Bank team in Abuja indicated the intention to take over three federal roads for repairs. According to the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kunle Somorin, “the governor had sought permission of the Federal Government to dualize the three major federal roads linking the state and Lagos under the Public Private sector partnership arrangement.

Lamenting the conditions of the road, he said: “The Lagos-Abeokuta road is a sorry sight when it rains and our people need to commute to and from Lagos every day because we are to Lagos what New Jersey is to New York.

“People who commute through Iyana Ilogbo will tell you of the nightmare they encounter every day because of potholes, which cause endless gridlock. This is a road that has been under construction for a long time and still needs about N26bn before completion.”

Speaking of the Federal Government’s preparedness, he raised the alarm that “only N1bn was in this year’s federal budget for that same road. So, as a responsible government, which is closer to the people, we have to do something.”

Already, palliative measures have commenced on Adigbe-Obada road, Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta road, Ilaro-Owode road, and township roads in Ijebu Ode, among others. One of such roads with extensive rehabilitation is the 32km Sango-Ojodu-Abiodun road, abandoned by the immediate past administration of Ibikunle Amosun. The road, which cut across various border communities between Lagos and Ogun has been in the state of comatose before the present administration decided to bring succour to the lives of the residents in that axis.

A resident, Olanipekun Abdul, said: “The governor has done well but like Oliver Twist, we are asking for more and want to remind him about the conditions of other roads in the axis. The road from Akute to Ishashi to Berger is bad too. Please come to our rescue.”

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