Forgotten Lagosians (2): Mega city residents rate local councils low

By Paul Dada

In 2003, President Bola Tinubu who was then serving as the Governor of Lagos State took a bold and an unprecedented step by creating 37 additional local councils for the state. Tinubu had reasoned that Lagos, a state which population had exploded to 13.4 million in the year 2000 to become the world’s sixth megacity and Africa’s foremost hub of regional and international economic activities, deserved far more than the 20 Local Government Areas it was stuck with at the time.

Tinubu, it would seem, was convinced that creating the additional 37 local councils was a veritable way to further democratise the third tier of government. Collaborating with the State House of Assembly, the Tinubu-led administration brought the 37 local councils into existence. But this was to land Tinubu in trouble with the overbearing President Olusegun Obasanjo who ordered the Lagos State Government to revert to having just 2o LGAs.

The battle switched to the Supreme Court which held that the process leading to the creation of the additional local councils was constitutionally valid but they remained inchoate until the National Assembly took the steps to list them as authentic Local Government Areas. Consequently, Tinubu decided to call them Local Council Development Areas(LCDAs).

Although Obasanjo for reasons that that were manifestly ignoble, withheld the funds meant for the Lagos LGAS for two years, Tinubu hoped that the existence of the 2o LGAs and 37 LCDAs would foster a greater development at the grassroots. Thankfully, Obasanjo’s immediate successor, Umaru Yar’Adua released the seized funds in 2007 when Babatunde Fashola was the Lagos helmsman.

However, 21 years after Lagos started to have 57 local councils, there are Lagosians who hold that they have not felt tangible developments at the grassroots level. This is even worrisome as the Lagos State Government affirms it does not tamper with funds released to the local governments by the Federal Government. Recently, the incumbent Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, wondered why he was included in the suit instituted by the Attorney-General of the Federation against the 36 state governors over alleged misconduct in the administration of local governments.

Sanwo-Olu, who maintained that that local governments in Lagos State enjoy full fiscal autonomy, said: “It is interesting to read the news that the Honourable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation has sued all the 36 states because governors did not give autonomy to the third tier of government. The only mistake, which I am going to tell our Attorney General, is that some of us are in compliance.

“The Attorney General should have done his due diligence to identify which states are not in compliance so that we don’t sue all the 36 states together. You can determine which states are not violating the constitution. If it is three, four or five states are in compliance, then you can sue the 31 states for violating the autonomy of the Local Governments. That is part of the back work that we need to do”.

It is therefore an irony of situation that some Lagosians would feel forgotten by the local council authorities operating in their areas. In the first part of this series of articles P.M. News had interacted with Lagosians who said their lives had not been significantly touched by the Lagos State Government. But we also interacted with residents in some parts of Lagos who commended the Sanwo-Olu-led administration for its efforts but lamented that the local council authorities were not complementing the efforts of the state government.

One of those who complained was Pastor Samson Akinde, Chairman of the Amje Estaport Community Development Association in Agbado/Oke-Odo LCDA. A recent flood caused by a torrential downpour had severely damaged the Amje Estaport community bridge on Olakunle Ojo Street, effectively dividing the area into two parts. He attributed it to the floodwaters overflowing from Moshalashi and Abucon drainage channels. These floodwaters, according to him, converged and emptied into Awotula Close, subsequently channeling into the bridge with significant force.

He said, “The flood damaged the bridge’s pillars, weakening its foundation, and washed away the sand supporting adjacent drainages. The collapsed bridge served approximately 20 communities, acting as the sole link road from the Lagos-Abeokuta Express Road into Old Otta.

He emphasized that the collapsed bridge also impacted a portion of the recently completed tarred road by Senator Ayo Akinyelure. He stated that prior to this unfortunate crisis, the CDA had reached out to Engr. David Famuyiwa, the LCDA Chairman, who failed to assist the community.

P.M. News observed at the time that that the livelihoods of area residents, along with other activities, were been severely disrupted, leaving the residents of the community to count their losses.

But reprieve came the way of the community, not from the local council but the Lagos State Government which responded to the S.O.S sent to it by the community. A member of the community, Oredola Adeola told P.M. News about this development. He said: “The Lagos State Government, through its Public Works Corporation, has taken swift action to barricade the collapsed bridge in Amje Estaport CDA, paving the way for repairs to begin. This timely response is attributed to the efforts of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu, who was informed of the situation through Mr. Gbenga Akosile, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media. The residents of Amje Estaport CDA express their gratitude to the Lagos State Government for their prompt attention to this critical issue, anticipating a permanent reconstruction of the community bridge. With collective efforts and prayer, the Amje Estaport community looks forward to a lasting solution to this crisis”.

Residents of Ayobo located within the Ayobo/Ipaja LCDA do not have words of praise for their council authorities. Besides the major road leading to Iyana-Ipaja constructed by the Lagos State Government during the tenure of Fashola, it is doubtful if there is any other good road in the community. One person considered blameworthy by the community is Bisi Yusuf, a former LCDA Chairman. The people claimed that during his tenure, he began repairs on a road but left the work incomplete. They said despite the fact that he had strong support during elections, he failed to fulfill his promises to the community.

The flooded community bridge, Pako, Ayobo, Lagos

“This road has been in a poor state for over 10 years. Although the Local Government records show that the road from Megida through Alaja to Olayemi has been paved. This is not true. In fact the drainage channel was poorly constructed, resulting in injuries and even the death of about two people. The government’s usual solution is to fill the road with sand, which washes away with the rain, worsening the situation. During the tenure of Bisi Yusuf, the Ipaja-Ayobo LCDA chairman, the road was done to Alaja and stopped there. He made many promises but did nothing. If you ask around, you’ll find out that no one likes him. I can say this anywhere,” said Olumide Irenuyin, a resident.

Another resident, Adeyeye also criticised Yusuf. “Mr. Bisi Yusuf has a house on this street. And during his tenure, he partially fixed the road but left it incomplete. Despite the fact that everyone on this street voting for him during the election, he failed to fulfill his promises. This street leads to Ishefun. If the road were properly done, it would be a viable route for people,” he said.

Nureni Yusuf Road is an important road which links Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway to Mao Junction in Alagbado area of Lagos. But the road is bedeviled by potholes and bumps. It even feels worse during rainy seasons. Both the state government and the Ifako/Ijaye LCDA have been blamed for the poor state of the road. Olufemi Israel who lives in the area said the man whose name the road was named after, was a deceased military officer.

“When Nureni Yusuf was still alive, he used his influence with the authorities to get the road fixed. But now it is bad. The road is bad during rainy seasons. When it rains, the road is flooded and it becomes very difficult for vehicles to move. People have to wait for the flood to abate before they can start moving. We have been begging the Local Government to help us but it is all to no avail”.

Benedict Enya has lived in Abaranje, a community in the Isheri-Igando LGA for more than 10 years. He lamented about the flooded streets. “The roads are flooded when it rains and that even makes it difficult for vehicles to move into residential compounds. People’s homes are overrun by water. We have been pleading with Local government leaders but they do nothing. We lack potable water here. We also have security problems. This area is not secure enough. People break into houses to commit acts of robbery”.

Corroborating the position of Enya was Mr. Sule Abere-Oje, the Vice Chairman of one of the CDAs at Abaranje. He praised the Lagos State Government for fixing Abaranje Road leading to Ikotun but blamed the local council for not fixing the inner roads that adjoin Abaranje Road. Abere-Oje who said he had lived in the area for about 30 years said: “The Local Government is not doing well. The LGA is supposed to fix the inner roads. Imagine, I who serve on the CDA, don’t even know my ward councilor. The Local Government authorities know this place. We need to feel their touch at the grassroots”.

Abere-Oje also said there was the need for a police station to be located within the community. He pleaded with the Lagos State Government to establish a secondary school in Abaranje. “Another thing that we need is a secondary school. We only have private secondary schools and public primary schools. Our children have to travel all the way to Ijegun and Ikotun to attend public secondary schools. Those places are too far. All those things should be put in place,” he said.

The bad Aroloye Street at Abaranje that links Abaranje Road to Community Road at Ijegun

“The only impact the Local Government has on us is to collect levies,” Jumoke Moyosola who runs an educational resources shop around Command area of Ipaja, said sarcastically. “All we see are LG officials who collect levies from shop owners, tricycle operators and commercial motorcyclists yet the roads are full of potholes”.

P.M News took up the Lagos State Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho on the bad roads on Lagos. We also sought to know from him the official position of the state government about the negative verdict some Lagosians passed on the local councils.

He said: “We have 10,000 roads. There is no way you would not have some that have not been touched. Lagos has a challenge in terms of facilities. There is pressure on facilities. Lagos is a victim of of its own success. The government is trying as much as possible. We will get to the roads that have not been touched . The Public Works Cooperation is working”.

Omotosho said road construction work is often delayed by the weather and it is not convenient to construct roads during the rain seasons. He said: “Nature has not been friendly. You know we use asphalt. So we have a little window for road construction”.

On the uncomplimentary verdict meted out to local councils, Omotosho had this to say: “I will not speak for the local governments. The state government does not touch the allocation of the local governments. I can’t talk about what they are doing right. But it would be unfair to have a blanket evaluation of the local councils. Some are doing well. We are working together with them. Some have invested in housing estates. . I have seen LGs who have done well with roads, primary schools, culture and investment.

The Commissioner also confirmed that the state government has system in place to monitor the performances of the local councils.

Additional report: Michael Adeshina

Forgotten Lagosians (2): Mega city residents rate local councils low

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