Community Cries Out Over Neglect

The Gloryland Community Development Association, Federal Site and Service Scheme in Isheri-Olofin, Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, has cried out over what it described as government’s neglect of the area.

The association, which represents communities and streets in the area, further disclosed that though it is located directly behind the Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the council Chairman and other office holders have not visited the area in the last four years.

Some of the streets within the community include Faith Ajayi, Goshen Avenue, Primary School Road, Yaba Street and Olu Adewale street.

Others include Hakeem Balogun, Olaonipekun Drive, Primate Elijah Ayodele Street, Balogun Adewale Avenue, Jide Alabi, Wuraola Adesheila Crescent, Anike Ologuntoye Street, Oladeinde Street, Imokore Crescent, Bishop Ogbonna Avenue, Kings and Queens Street and Old Tipper Garage.

When P.M.NEWS visited the area recently, majority of the roads and streets were in bad shape.

There were also no drainages channel along several of the streets, making it difficult for water to find its way.

Some of the residents who spoke with P.M.NEWS explained that they are always apprehensive of whenever the rainy season approaches.

“Even if the flood does not flow into your apartment, you may be unable to leave your house because for days, the roads are flooded, making us pass through hell on our way to and from home,” one of the residents said.

Chairperson of the association, Isaac Okorie, lamented that despite mobilising the residents of the area to exercise their electoral mandate in favour of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), they have been eluded in terms of development.

“Since the last four years, we have relied on self-help. Whatever progress you see here is because of the residents taxing themselves.

“But you know we cannot continue to rely on self help in the presence of a government that is supposed to put the interest of the people first,” he said while conducting our correspondent round some of drainages the residents constructed through self-help.

He said the residents would continue to call on governments both at the local and state level to come to their aid before they would be finally cut off from the rest of Lagos as erosion is also one of their major problems.