Kunle Adelabu
-Says he’s fulfilled with performance in less than 2 years
The lawmaker representing the Ikorodu Constituency II, Hon. Aro Moshood Abiodun (AMA), continued with his infrastructural development efforts in Ijede LCDA wth the flagging off of AMA Avenue and Jimoh Idowu Streets.
The construction of the two roads, which connect each other in Igbopa community, in Ijede Local Council Development Area (LCDA), is the 2025 constituency project by the first term lawmaker. The construction works kicked off on Saturday.
The road, which is about .7km covering two streets – AMA Avenue and Jimoh Idowu, will have drains on both sides which will be 3ft; service duck 4ft, pavement thickness which would be asphalt of 100mm, solar powered -street light and according to the engineer, the project required 12 metres right of way.
Hon. Aro, speaking at the flag – off, said that the massive vote recorded at Igbopa, which he said is the highest from any booth in Lagos State in the last general elections, accounted for his capacity to use his legislative power to demand for dividends of democracy for his people.
“Why this road construction has come to Igbopa, is because the Igbopa polling booth in the last general election, had the highest votes in the whole of Lagos.
“This has been part of what I have been using to make cases whenever I am bargaining for projects in the house. This is exactly what we use in negotiating.
“Let us come out en masse for the July council elections, so that I will continue to use your voting strength to talk on the floor of the house. I was the one that stood on the floor of the house to use the number of votes that Ikorodu recorded in the last general elections to clamour for the additional cabinet position.
“Thank God for what Igbopa did in the 2023 general elections that has given me the power to talk. This has been giving me confidence to talk, and that’s why I got two roads out of 14 for Ikorodu Constituency I and ours which is Constituency II”, he said.
AMA assured the residents that the Ilupeju road would be completed, stating that he is still on it and that he has been given the Ministry’s officials sleepless nights over it.
“I am not the type of a representative that allows any project to be abandoned. I will use my legislative power to address the issue on the floor of the house.
“They are supposed to be on the site with the money that has been released to them, and I know that they have requested for variation from Mr Governor”.
While further assuring his constituency that all the ongoing projects would have completed, he added that he doesn’t seek for anything from the contractors so as to be able to talk and make them do what they are paid to do.
He said that the massive road construction of roads and drainages would bring more developments.
He also charged the contractor on the need to employ youths in the community and also patronize those selling construction materials.
Assessing his performance, Hon. Aro said that he is fulfilled and happy at what he has been able to do in less than two years as a representative of his people.
On the final phase of the Itamaga – Ijede road, the lawmaker also assured the people of Ijede that the construction would start soon.
He informed them that they are now searching for a place to use as a yard for Arab Contractors along the route.
He also hinted that the funding for the project has also been addressed.
Engr. Luqman Ogunsanya, the Resident Engineer in Ikorodu and Director in the Ministry of Works, gave detailed information about the project and appealed to residents for support for the contractor and the ministry.
“The purpose of today’s meeting is to interact with you and let you know about the construction of the road requires sacrifices. The construction would affect some fences in some areas, because we want a standard road.
“In our Ministry, we have a standard when it comes to road construction which is to have the carriage way, drains on both sides, service duck and the streetlight. Most importantly, when we construct any road, we must take note of the waterflow because if not, the road construction is meaningless.
“We have to change the location that we intend to discharge the water in our design because we realized that it’s too high and we have seen another channel. The channel will pass through two buildings to link the second and third streets (to AMA Avenue) and link the construction of drains by the Ministry of Drainage Environment”, he said.
He added that the drains would also address the flooding that residents usually experienced in the third street.
The resident engineer, requesting for support and cooperation for the contractor, said:
“We also called for this meeting to seek the cooperation of the residents. This project is not much and should not take us more than one year which is 12 months, all things being equal. Hopefully, it may not exceed one year.
“The contractor has moved to site and we have resolved the challenges in our design by finding where the water is going to be channeled through and by next week, the work will commence.
“We need the support of residents, especially those that their fences would be affected once we do the markings. It has already affected Hon. AMA’s fence and he has agreed that it has to go.
“If he has given us the permission to demolish his own fence to create a right of way, l don’t see any reason anyone should object. It is about development for those residing here.
“We don’t want any disturbance for the contractor once they start”, he pleaded.
He also stated that the contractor would reconstruct affected fences for the residents.
The Chairman, Ijede LCDA, Hon. Motunrayo Gbadebo – Alogba, also speaking pleaded with residents on the need to support the contractor.
“The contractor needs our support and this what we have been giving and we will continue to do that. As you can see, our people are ready for you because we know that you are the one that would benefit from it.
She pleaded for the contractor to employ residents of the community into its labouring work and also patronise those selling granites, sand, cement and other construction materials
Hon. Saheed Hassan, APC apex leader in Ijede in his own remarks described the lawmaker as a blessing to his people.
“Having AMA representing us is a blessing.
“We know how our environment was some years back but right now, you can see development especially road construction here and there
“By the time he completes his eights, this place would turn into not only London but America”, he said.
