Roads in Lagos State are in terrible state and motorists are complaining

Lateef Ibirogba, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, in a recent article he authored on Lagos State, donned the toga of a critic when he asked the question: “Is Lagos still working?”

The question, however, was not meant for anyone but Ibirogba himself.  Of course, Lagos is still working, he said.  He then went on to list the sectors that have received priority attention from the Babatunde Raji Fashola administration since the beginning of his second term as governor. “Some major areas  of development on which the Lagos State government has focused its attention on since the beginning of the second tenure include Law and Order, Health (with particular emphasis on maternal and child care), power generation, security, creation of sustainable enabling environment for small and medium scale enterprises, housing programme and education among others.”

Curiously, road infrastructure was not one of those listed as a top priority. Such a revelation would no doubt sadden those who  expected  the state government to come to their aid by renovating the plethora of bad roads that dot the Lagos landscape. While it is true that the Fashola administration has significantly transformed and  changed the face of a city that was once described as “Africa’s dirtiest capital,” through its beautification agenda that has seen to the planting of flowers and creation of gardens in many parts of the state, there are those who are worried that many Lagos roads have not received as much attention over the years.

One of  such bad roads is the Ipaja – Ayobo Road in the Alimosho local government area of the state. Residents of  the area have been having a harrowing time due to the decrepit state of the road. The road has been particularly bad in the last two years. Oluyele Odewa, a commercial motorcyclist, said the condition of the street causes heavy traffic in the area, especially on Monday mornings. He recalled that the Lagos State government  inspected the road some years ago with a view to renovating it but nothing came out of it.

 John Ikenna, another commercial motorcyclist operating in the area,  complained that his machine easily develops faults these days, a situation that ensures he is now a regular visitor to the mechanic workshop. “We expect the government to renovate the road but all you see them do is fill the potholes with gravel which does not last. Please help me tell the government to come and repair the road. I am tired of going to the mechanic everyday,” he said.

Newswatch learnt that, due to the bad nature of Ayobo road, the BRT buses that normally ply the route leading to the area no longer do so. They rather prefer an alternative way linking Abesan estate along the Ipaja – Ayobo road. The estate road leads to the last bus stop in Ipaja. 

Another road  in dire need of repair is the one linking Command and Ekoro roads in Abule Egba. A resident of the area described the lane as “very bad.” The road did not become bad overnight. In fact, it has since broken  into two due to lack of maintenance and absence of drainage. For many residents therefore, driving through the road, especially after a hard day’s job, is usually a nightmarish experience due to the traffic problem it causes.

In Shomolu area of Lagos, Fola Agoro street stands out for its decrepit state. When it rains, it is dificult for people to pass through the road as the place is often flooded. It is the same in Ojo street, in the same Shomolu.

Taiwo Disu, a resident of the area, complained that a place near Apata road leading to Market street is so bad that it causes traffic jams and subjects inhabitants of the area to harrowing times. “You close from work at 5.00 p.m hoping to get home by 6.00 p.m but end up doing so at about 8.00 p.m. You would not have enough time to rest and do what you are supposed to do and prepare for the next day,” she said.  

In the last couple of years, residents of  Adisatu Street in Mafoluku area of Lagos have been “going through hell due to the bad road.” For those living in this part of Lagos, life takes a different meaning during the rainy season, as the street becomes  messier. Car owners  have to drive through flooded spots when it rains. The bad condition of the road has often led to a rise in transport cost as motorcyclists take advantage of the situation to increase their fare. “Ladipo Bus-Stop to Adisatu which normally should cost N60 is now N150, and  whenever there is a great deal of rain it becomes more difficult for people going that way,”  said a resident of  Mafoluku.

The fate of some residents of  Ojodu, is no better. Virtually on a daily basis, people living in the area as well as further down  Alagbole, Ogun State, waste endless time in traffic on their way to work or home, no thanks to the incessant traffic jams that motorists and commuters go through. It is usually worse in the morning hours and in the evenings, when the traffic is tight. The source of the trauma is the countless pot-holes that dot Adebowale and Kosoko streets, (to mention just these) leading to Yakoyo, Alagbole and Akute. At times, people spend up to two or three hours to get to their destination, in a route that ordinarily should not take more than fifteen minutes.

Another road that has caused a lot of  anguish for both residents of Lagos and Ogun State is the Ikorodu-Sagamu highway. Many lives have been lost in mishaps along the road. Recently, some youths resident in the area, especially those living opposite Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu, took to the streets to register their annoyance over  the accident that claimed the life of the wife of a lecturer in the institution. The pregnant woman was said to be on her way to pick her children from school when she met her  death after a driver of a trailer lost control due to the bad road  and hit her  car from behind.

The condition of the Ikorodu—Sagamu expressway is also responsible for why Adeshina Onabule, an engineer,  quit his job with the United African Company, UAC. Until last April when he decided to resign his appointment with  the company, Onabule had enjoyed his work with UAC.  But the frequent gridlock in the area  forced him to change his mind. “Last April, I was going to work in Lagos and for more than three hours, I was held in traffic jam between Laspotech and Ikorodu, a distance of about three kilometres. When I considered this and previous experiences, I made up my mind to give myself rest,” he said.

In June this  year, members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Mosinmi depot, located along the road threatened to withdraw their trucks from the depot as a result of the deplorable condition of the highway.  Prior to the last gubernatorial election, Ibikunle Amosun, the governor of Ogun State, visited many parts of Ogun State that share  border with Lagos State and  promised to renovate the dilapidated roads in the districts. So far, nothing has been seen in that regard.  The residents would be hoping, like their Lagos counterparts, that the government come to  their aid.

Reported by Augustine Adah, Nathasia Udoh, Emmanuella Onuche  and  Lucy Bassey