THOUGH the expression of displeasure on the terrible state of roads in Ogun State was a hallmark of the animated campaign that landed him in the Government House, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State, the view of many residents of the communities is that Governor Ibikunle Amosun has failed to fix the roads.

They are groaning that two years after, the situation appears to have worsened. In one of his comments, while expressing his disgust with the state of the roads, Amosun had said: "Those in Mowe, Olambe, Agbado and Ijoko won't agree that there is government in the state. In Yewa, their roads are in terrible state.

Abeokuta roads are in a bad state. The same with Ijebu Ode roads. It is portholes everywhere. It appears that probably there is no government in Ogun State.

Then a candidate, Amosun lamented the situation, adding that any responsible governor would not allow any federal road being used by his people to be in state disrepair.
But to the chagrin of every citizen in the state, who had nursed high hopes that a government had come to bail them out, the pitiable condition of their road network remains, going from bad to worse as many of the communities mentioned by Governor Amosun are still gasping and writhing in the throes of impassable roads.

From Ojodu Abiodun, Ishasi, Denro, Akute, Olambe, Agbado, Ijoko, Ope Ilu, Ogba Ayo to Sango, it is litany of woes regarding roads as citizens continue to grieve, agonize and complain or bad roads. Many inhabitants of Sango, Alagbole and Akute said the governor's exploit since assuming office so far in road construction across the state has been concentrated on Abeokuta, the state capital, and perhaps, two or three other towns near the state capital, while other communities languish in utter neglect.

A commercial tricyclist, Idowu Salami, who plies Ishasi/Denro road, corroborated the people's concern, saying, "Weve heard that our governor is working in other areas like Abeokuta, out we also voted for him here, so he should come and repair our roads in Ishasi, and Denro. He came here before election, promising to repair our roads but he has spent a little more than two years now, yet we have not seen anything. I don't know why they don't allow Lagos state to take over this area."

Buttressing Salami's view, Secretary General, Alhaji Ahmed Kareem, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), Akute Motor Park, acknowledged that the
Povernor is performing well. le said, "He constructed a- six-lane road in Imeko/Ayetoro to the border area, likewise Ijebu/ Ijebu Ode over high bridge, but we've not seen his hand here. Rain has started falling, the Akute roundabout is a no-go area. It is always full of water whenever rain falls, so we need to feel his impact here too."

According to a commercial motorcyclist Bayo Akande who plies Akute/Olambe road to Tipper Garage, Onibudo, "The government of Amosun should now that it is the legacy he leaves behind that we will remember him for. He came to Olambe when he was campaigning and promised us that the road would be repaired but up till now, the Jolasco area of Olambe to Olambe Junction is a trouble for us," he lamented. Yet, according to Akande, the governor quickly graded a portion of the road that leads to is friend's house who recently celebrated his mother's burial ceremony in Onibudo, Tipper Garage.

Maltina/Plaza road that leads to Adalemo in Sango is totally closed down due to its
Traffic... Ogun style deplorable condition, while residents have abandoned their houses, as the erosion flowing from Ipamesan community, the other flowing from Plaza junction along Ijoko road, and the one flowing from Oyede community which meet at a narrow culvert that leads to Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, has blocked Plaza/Maltina road that leads to Adalemo near Gate Way Hotel towards Toll Gate.

Trie Ijoko/Ope Ilu road is completely an eyesore. As the rainy season sets in, people plying this road are gearing up for hardship as it becomes completely waterlogged, making motorists and other road users to swim across like fish. Their condition will aggravate, going by the prediction oftorrential rain this year by Metrologists.

The heavy rain will mutilate the road due to improper channellization, and further subject commuters to excruciating conditions as they will be forced to cough out sky-high transport fares charged by the drivers, while vehicles too will get damaged, leaving them to be abandoned.

A driver Godwin I kechukwu, who plies Agbado/Ijoko road, the hope of repairing the road in this political dispensation is lost as e dismissed the possibility of government ever looking tneir way this year. He lamented further, "Anytime it rains I cannot pass through the road but we are praying for the government to remember us."

One road user confided in The Nigerian Compass that aside complaining and saying their minds whenever being asked, the indigenes in these areas had made several efforts to write letters every now and then to the state government but all appeals had fallen on deaf ear.

It could be remembered that Governor Amosun started well at the wake of his administrations, cutting the picture of a governor that will hurriedly and quickly repair many damaged roads tnat litter the state. The first step he took was to trek round major areas that are plagued by bad roads.

It could also be recalled that one of such on-the-spot inspections took him to Sango-Ota, where he trekked several kilometres while inspecting some troubled roads. Other
f)laces inspected were Agbado, joko, Ota, and many others to assess the extent of the damage. There were also reports that ne had sent some of his aides earlier to assess the level of the trouble of those roads before he went on his own.

After the assessment, he went into action and started by ordering the repair of the bad portions of Lagos/Ibadan Expressway in Mowe, opposite the Redemption Camp of the Redeemed Christian Church of God. The Ogun State Commissioner for Works, Architect Lekan Adegbite, visited the portion and said that Governor Amosun was not happy at the state of the road and had decided to effect the repair that also saw a major drainage being constructed to ensure durability of the bad portion with or without the concessionaire, Bi-Courtney. The governor also ordered the repair of Joju Garage, Dalemo, and Toll Gate.

Governor Amosun said recently while giving his stewardship account at the end of his two years tenure in office that his government had to borrow from banks and pay back in order to repair roads.

He said the Federal Government had declined assisting him in repairing federal roads within the state, saying they gave excuse that they could not fund a-four-lane
road. However, public affairs analysts in the state are of the opinion that if the Federal Government cannot fund a-four-lane road, it should be able to financea-two-laneroad.

However, one of the roads that needs urgent attention is Alagbole/Akute road. The Alagbole/Akute road is manageable except the notorious hold-up that makes traffic a nerve-racking experience there. One road user said efforts should be made to contain the flood that always takes over the bridge at Odo Eran during the rainy season.

Also the Ajuwon/Akute road needs attention of the government. Recently, drainage was constructed along this road, which some said, was facilitated by MTN, nevertheless, the road requires more than this. The road that links Olambe to Akeredolu, especially the portion from Olambe junction, is horrendous, likewise the Denro /Ishasi road which links Akute, and many other such roads.

A member of Ogun State House of Assembly, while complaining about the bad state of the road in the state sometimes ago, made a salient point by saying that many of the roads were constructed with substandard materials, advising that efforts should be made to construct quality roads that can stand the test of time.

Perhaps, the remaining sun in the sky is enough to dry the clothe for Ogun State government, since it still has some years left before it completes its tenure. The affected communities hope that the Amosun-led government could still cover enough ground in repairing the bad roads scattered across the Gateway State.


http://www.compassnewspaper.org/index.php/component/content/article/35-headlines/13902-roads-collapse-in-ogun-communities-moan