23rd September, 2011
Motorists and commuters have called on Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State to rehabilitate the bad portions of the Abeokuta-Lagos expressway at Joju, Dalemo and Ijoko Road and Plaza Bus Stop, Sango.
The Amosun-led government three months ago rehabilitated some bad portions of the road at Sango using stone and granite dust to fill the potholes but the rains have washed away the granite dust, leaving the stones.
Road users who spoke with P.M.NEWS on the difficulty being experienced on the road pleaded with the governor to come to their aid by constructing a gutter and tarring the road. “Drainage is the main problem of this road. Do you know that a long portion of the expressway has no gutter? The governor filled some bad portions of the road up to Joju Bus Stop but failed to do anything about the bad portion leading to Ijoko, especially Plaza Bus Stop. He has visited this place several times and nothing has been done about it. The governor should assist us by constructing drainages to deflood the area,†says Mr. Idowu Dawudu, a trader.
Another trader, Taoffek Owolabi introduced spiritual dimension into the matter when he called on the people of the area to pray to God for divine intervention on the busy expressway. “I am not happy with the state of this road. We thought that by voting for a new governor, the problems would be solved but the current administration has been unable to solve the problem. Governor Amosun should copy what Governor Babatunde Fashola is doing in Lagos in the rehabilitation of roads and providing drainages to deflood the city. Our roads in Ogun need drainages to prevent rains damaging the roads,†he stated.
A commercial motorcyclist who gave his name as Mr. Maradesa Matthew also drew the attention of Governor Amosun to the large potholes at Garage Bus Stop and Dalemo, saying the bad portions were responsible for the traffic gridlock in the area. “At Garage Bus Stop we face a lot of difficulties because of the large potholes which are always filled with water. Our passengers always complain of the high fares but it is not our fault. The road is very bad,†he said.
A motorist who gave his name as Mr. Dayo Alatise narrated his experience on the road when going to the mosque on Sunday, saying he had to park his car and put his legs inside the muddy water to get to his place of worship. “I have to park my car at a filling station in the area, then dipped my two legs inside the water to cross to the other side where I took a bus to the mosque. I also took a bus back to the spot where my car was parked. I did this to prevent my car from getting stucked inside the muddy water and save myself from repair works,†he stated.
—Kehinde Alatise