National Wire About Nigerians, Nigerian Business and Other Stories
For many years, residents and business operators in Okokomaiko, Ajangbadi and Sabo communities of Ojo Local Government area of Lagos State have been living in abandonment and pains due to poor road networks linking their neigbhourhoods.
Being developed communities that boast of an international market, the ever-busy Alaba International Market, the apparent lack of government intervention and impact has left commuters and motorists with more pains as commuters walk long distances across the bad portions of the road to link their business premises.
Investigations by this reporter revealed that the major roads linking the communities along Aka, Okoko, Alaba, Sibiri, Ilogbo, Abule roads are dotted with filthy potholes.
However, the bad state of these roads has made life unbearable for commuters and residents of these communities in recent times. Accidents and floods have been regular occurrences as the roads remain in bad shape.
Speaking with the commuters, Abdulwasiu Hassan is a technical worker who repairs mobile phones. He uses the road everyday to his workshop. As a result of bad road, he revealed how much time he wastes at the bus stop waiting for vehicle to Alaba International Market and how he had to trek from his workshop to the market and aback home.
“My experience on that road has been very tough and bad, government needs to attend to us, we are suffering on that road. On a normal ground, going to my place of work at Alaba from home shouldn’t take up to twenty minutes but because of that bad road, it always takes up to one hour and thirty minutes to reach there,” he said worriedly.
Another trader, Taibat Ajisafe also revealed to this reporter how she has lost many of her customers as a result of the bad road. She expressed pessimism on possible government intervention.
“Do I even need to say anything? This governments will not come to our aid even if I do. I have encountered many difficulties on that road, especially when returning from market. There are days I will have to trek with goods on my head because I won’t want to delay customers at the shop and bus drivers would refuse to pass through the deep potholes. At the end, on occasional basis, I lose those customers,” she lamented.
Another resident, Abdulmujib Mustapha who has been a commuter on the road for over 15 years revealed his experience with this reporter. According to him, those roads in question remain the worst road Lagos state will ever have.
“If there should be a competition for bad roads in Lagos, the Sabo and Okoko will most likely outshine other numerous ones across the state. But the large potholes in-between Ajangbadi, Iyana, Sabo, Okoko roads and the bus stop along the road are the worst of the terrible fate that has befallen the road,” he said.
He further said, “On days when that a portion of the road is flooded as a result of heavy downpour, vehicular movement stops at the waterlogged spot, getting many passengers stranded for hours.”
Speaking about the unconcerned attitude of the Lagos state government, he said the government most times lacks attitude of projects supervision and this leads to contractors, executing those projects with low quality materials.
“The State government doesn’t really supervise the construction of these roads or ensure that the right materials are used for road construction. Some state officials receive kickbacks from contractors to deliver poor quality roads and the cycle goes on,” he revealed.
Story by Mujeeb Abdulwasiu
