Kunle Adelabu
There have been assurances that the contractor whom the deplorable Ikorodu – Itoikin Road, has been awarded to, will soon move into site to begin the total rehabilitation of the road constructed over 50 years ago, and which has been neglected since then. The road has deteriorated and caused residents of Ikorodu and other Nigerians using it, untold hardship over the years, thereby paralyzing both economic and social lives alongside axis.
The road has become impassable, especially at the axis after Isiwu junction and before the Caleb University where vehicles are unable to pass, thus, causing motorists and their passengers to remain standstill for several hours due to the slippery nature and extremely bad state of the road.
Hon. Wasiu Agoro, the Chairman of Imota Local Council Development Area (LCDA), who spoke with our reporter who, alongside other passengers, faced hell moving from Ikorodu to Imota, last week, pleaded with residents and assured that contractor would move to site soon.
A source in the office of the Senator representing the Lagos East Senatorial District in the National Assembly Senate, Sen. Tokunbo Abiru who facilitated the award of the contract for the rehabilitation of the deplorable road, also assured that a comprehensive rehabilitation would begin soon.
Many heavy duty vehicles were also seen stuck, thereby, preventing other vehicles from moving.
The alternative route which passes through the bush to link lsiwu, also became no – go area because it is a one – way road which cannot accommodate vehicles going and coming at same time. The situation caused hours of waiting as oncoming vehicles had to wait for those coming from the opposite direction.
This current situation has equally resulted in the hike of transport fares of commercial vehicles, tricycles and motorbikes, along the axis.
While Urvan buses that were previously conveying passengers between N400 and N500 from Itoikin to Imota, now charge N700, it is N1500 for motorcycle (Okada) carrying a single person and N800 or N700 for two passengers from Itamaga to Imota.
Many of the residents and other road users who are currently facing hardship plying the road, have, however, passionately appealed to the government for quick rehabilitation of the road constructed over 50 years ago.
Hon. Wasiu Agoro, speaking with THE IMPACT in his office on Thursday, pleaded with the residents of Imota, who are mostly affected their movements in and out of the community, have been hell for many years, as the Itamaga – Ijede – Gberigbe road which also link the community, is equally impassable due to it’s bad condition.
He confirmed to our reporter that the contractor contracted for the rehabilitation of the Ikorodu – Itoikin, would soon move to site to commence work.
“The road in question is a federal road, and I have addressed my people while speaking to them during the event where monetary palliatives were recently given to them, that they should be patient with the federal government. The road was commissioned in 1972 and since then, nothing has been done on it. That road has expired, because it has been left unattended to for several years”, he said.
“But the state government, on several occasions, had been doing palliative on it. I personally met with Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo – Olu, and he intervened on several occasions. So also my Senator, Senator Adetokunbo Abiru who also intervened about two months ago from his own purse. He did palliative work on the from Ikorodu to Itoikin, but the road is so old that no amount of palliative can bring it back life.
“This is an old road and the only road that connected the eastern and other parts of the country before the construction of the Ikorodu – Shagamu express road. It is over 50 years.
“Presently, the federal government has awarded the contract for the road and the contractor is working day and night to move to site. If you get to Ajebo just by Orugbo junction, that’s the contractor’s camp site. They have already cleared the place and are moving in their construction vehicles and equipment”, he confirmed.
Hon. Agoro also stated that his administration has been intervening on the part of the Ikorodu – Itoikin road that falls under the jurisdiction of his council, while asking residents to exercise more patient as the deplorable state of the road would be addressed soon.
“On several occasion, I took it upon myself to do palliatives on the road, especially the area that are within the Imota LCDA, which is between Imota and Caleb University, while from Caleb down to Itamaga is under the Ikorodu North LCDA. My colleague there is trying his best too. He brought some rubbles to fix from Aleke to Isiwu, but the moment that you fix it, the intervention is gone because of the bad nature the road. The state of the road presently, is beyond what a local government can handle”, he said.
“I will only urge my people to be patient. Very soon, it would be a thing of the past. I know that my people are going through a lot of hardship, and I am sure that the state government’s agency would be coming by next week to do some palliative works on the road”.
