By Olufemi Demola
Akute, Lambe, Ijoko, Agbado and Alagbole are in the outer areas of Ogun State. Currently, all the adjoining roads to these communities are in deplorable conditions just as there are no support infrastructure to show that there is presence of government in these areas.
Residents of these communities are going through untold hardships particularly during the rainy season.
Successive administrations in the state never deemed it necessary to repair the roads that link these communities to Ogun, Lagos and other parts of the country and even the borders.
The road construction and five flyovers in these communities were initiated by the administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun and scheduled for completion within two years.
Unfortunately, the Ibikunle Amosun-led administration could not complete the projects before the end of that government although massive works had been carried out by the contractor, identified as Central South Construction Company limited.
On assumption of office two years ago, Governor Dapo Abiodun had made a solemn promise that he would complete the projects and others commenced by his predecessors, but two years down the line, nothing has been done particularly on the Akute – Lambe- Agbado road. Going by the realities on ground, there is nothing to indicate that Dapo Abiodun’s administration will complete these projects before its tenure ends.
Abiodun had in April, while inspecting the ongoing construction of the Ishasi-Denro-Akute road in Ifo local government area of the state, reiterated his resolve to complete the projects and others abandoned by previous administrations in Ogun state.
In fact, the governor acknowledged that the deplorable state of Alagbole-Akute- Lambe- Agbado road is a major problem for his government.
Currently, there is no motorable road from Giwa to Olambe – Akute or from Alagbole to Akute up to Olambe and Agbado. Even the pedestrian walkways have been completely destroyed by gully erosion.
Residents and owners of businesses in these areas have continued to count losses, as according to them, the poor states of the roads have paralysed their businesses and impoverished them.
The Giwa – Olambe-Akute road, at the moment, is perhaps one of the worst roads currently in the Southwest. A visit to Olambe area penultimate week was a very unpleasant and frightening experience.
Given that the road construction was commenced by the immediate past governor, Ibikunle Amosun, who did a very massive job, including construction of the bridges and road expansion, the expectation was that his successor, Abiodun would complete the all-important road that leads to Sango Abeokuta and parts of Ogun and links Ogun to Lagos state and neighbouring Nigerian border to boost trade in the state.
Recall that during his inaugural speech on May, 29, 2019, Governor Abiodun emphatically stated that infrastructural projects, particularly roads, would be the core mandate of his administration.
He had promised that his administration would prioritise fixing the bad roads in Ogun to make lives better for his people.
His words: “The establishment of Ogun State Public Works Agency (OGPWA) is part of our commitment to accelerate massive road rehabilitation towards enhancing job creation, poverty alleviation, and food security, for the individual prosperity of our people, including the commuters, and open up the locked areas to development, and generally ease commuting and movement of goods and materials; thereby ensuring the continued growth of our dear state’s economy.
“Opening up our rural roads, in particular, will boost agriculture and development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). I must inform you that we have also identified areas where we need to direct our immediate attention. For example, our industrial hubs- Agbara-Atan-Ota Axis; Ewekoro-Ifo Axis; Sagamu-Ogijo Axis; Sagamu-interchange-Kobape Abeokuta Expressway Axis; Ilaro- Ibese Axis; etc among others.
He added: “We also recognise that to take full advantage of our proximity to Lagos, we have embarked on some key joint initiatives with Lagos State government. First, we have presented a joint request to the President to release two major expressways to the two states for rehabilitation and maintenance in collaboration with private sector partners. These roads are Lagos Otta – Abeokuta Expressway and Ikorodu-Sagamu road. This request is receiving attention and being vigorously pursued. The second and even broader collaborative initiative is the establishment of Lagos-Ogun Joint Development Commission. This commission will focus on a number of issues, particularly along our border towns.
“The focal areas include infrastructure, physical planning, security, transportation management and revenue. In fact On our own, the contracts for the 13.4 km Epe-Ijebu Ode Road and others would soon is being perfected and will soon be awarded. while we are currently perfecting the paper work with the Lagos State Government for a Joint Development Commission on road infrastructure towards fast-tracking the construction of Sagamu-Ikorodu Road; Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Road and other roads linking our neighbouring States. This is not to forget our rural roads to boost agriculture and development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).”
The governor said the “OGPWA is working round the clock to fix the following roads among other assignments: Ogun West:Sango-Ota-Lagos Road; Osi-Ota-Awolowo-Navy-AIT Road. Ogun East: Itokin-Ibefun-Ijebu-Ode Road; Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode-Sapade Road; Asafa-Oke-Degun Road; Iperu-Ilisan Road; Siun-Ogere-Iperu road; Balogun Kuku Road in Ijebu-Ode; Oba Erinwole Road, Sagamu. Ogun Central: Adigbe-Opako road; Abeokuta-Sango-Ota-Lagos road. There was no mention of Akute-Ijoko- Olambe – Agbado road, Agbado-Ijoko, Akute Alagbole roads, an indication that the governor did not recognise these areas as part of Ogun and therefore had no plans to complete the road projects commenced by his predecessor, Amosun despite the state’s huge sums of money already committed to the project.
Residents of these areas who expressed disappointment that the governor has not kept his campaign promises noted that it was wicked and unpatriotic to have abandoned the Akute-Ikoko- Olambe road project because the residents of those areas voted his opponent during the 2019 election or because Amosun did not back his candidacy.
They argue that despite the political wrangling, Governor Abiodun ought to have completed the Akute-Ijoko Olambe projecs taking into consideration the huge amount of money expended already by the state and their strategic importance in the development of the rural communities. Had Dapo Abiodun done that, he would have written his name in gold.
Ironically, there is no passing day, the reading public are not fed with false information about Governor Dapo Abiodun’s massive road projects or how the governor has delivered on road projects.
A visit to Ogun state will convince you that Abiodun does the massive road repairs only in the media.
Whereas virtually all the major roads in Ogun as well as other roads such as Alagbole – Akute – Olambe – Agbado – Sango-Ifo- Ota- Abeokute roads etc are not motorable, the media is always awash with reports of massive road constructions or rehabilitation in Ogun state by Dapo Abiodun administration.
The question being asked is who is the governor and his press team deceiving- the reading public or his kinsmen?
Some of the business owners on Akute-Ijoko road, who spoke to this writer over the weekend, said they shut down their businesses owing to poor patronage as a result of the bad condition of the roads.
Recounting how he lost millions of naira he invested in the business and his inability to repay the loan, a resident declared: “This is wickedness of the highest order”. He vowed that “the people will not allow Abiodun to rule them Ogun again”.
“I have abandoned my house in Olambe simply because of bad road. I have become a tenant again. It was horrific living in Olambe particularly during the rainy season. My children don’t go to school when it rains. If there is any emergency, there will be no way to access the hospital or the banks in nearby Lagos or Ogun state due to bad roads.
“Dapo Abiodun deceived Ogun people. Our people believed he was god-fearing and upright, but what we are seeing is different. We learned that he abandoned Olambe road project despite the money expended already because the people there didn’t vote for him. We also hear he vowed that he will not look that way throughout his tenure. God is seeing everything. Buhari’s government is trying on roads and bridges but this our governor is destroying that impression”, said One Mr Ola, who built his house in Olambe area, but has since abandoned it due to the worsening state of the access roads.
A Passionate Appeal for Help
Residents of the communities are going through hell in this rainy season. They have appealed to Gov Abiodun to come to their rescue.
“Businesses are shutting down, people are abandoning their houses because there are no access roads to their areas. This is what is giving rise to kidnappings and other violent crimes because those whose businesses were affected might have resorted to crime to survive.
We need his urgent intervention.”, said a business owner at Olambe Bust stop, Sade Abiola.
Will the governor harken to the voice of his people, only time shall tell.