Notwithstanding the challenges of perennial rainfall and attendant flooding in most parts of Ogun State, the state government has said it would stop at nothing to fix the intra and inter-city roads under it.
“We are even going beyond state and township roads, we have taken it upon ourselves to fix federal roads that run through the state”, a statement by Kunle Somorin, the chief press secretary to Governor Dapo Abiodun, said.
The statement said the state governor has issued firm directive to the Public Works Agency (OGPWA) handling the palliative and reconstruction works across the state to step up its games and that he would not brook any excuses about rain.
“Consultant to the state government on Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, told me that the governor is mounting pressure on the leadership of OGPWA to ensure that our people have roads to go about their business as a matter of right. Indeed, he challenged us to reverse the public infrastructure deficits in the state within the next few months – rain or no rain,” the statement added.
Shortly after inspecting some roads affected by the rain on Monday, Akinsanya said that the new emergency order declared by the governor, “is a new adrenalin for OGPWA to ensure that rain, though a major challenge for rehabilitation work efforts, does not stop the Agency from fixing all intra-city roads across Ogun State”.
“We are poised to make our people heave a sigh of relief at the earliest possible time. We are only appealing for time to do a thorough job and that is why we are doing the works in phases,” he said.
“What we have done is to segment the works into phases. There are some that could be done in the rain. These ones, we are doing straightaway. The ones that cannot be done in the rain will have to wait till the rainy season is over. But the governor is pushing us hard to deliver on public works and infrastructure,” he further said.
Ade Akinsanya pointed out that besides the road construction and rehabilitation, the state government had also begun the redesigning and proper channeling of drainage in different parts of the state to avert man-made and natural disasters.
He explained that works were being undertaken to check the flooding being experienced by residents and road users in the state.
“You will agree with me that potholes are numerous. Rivers are getting filled to the brim. Some roads have deteriorated so badly that they are impassable and some culverts and bridges are disasters waiting to happen, but we are not resting on our oars. We shall deliver good roads to bolster public transportation and increase economic growth generally,” the statement added.
For almost 16 years, some communities on the Lagos/Ogun State borders have been abandoned and their nightmare and challenges are aggravated due to the deplorable state of their roads.
However, OGPWA has fixed the link road between Osi-Ota and Akowonjo in Lagos State, while palliative works are on-going along Oba Erinwole Road in Shagamu, Ajebo-Idi Aba, Siun-Ogere-Iperu roads linking Ogun Central to Ogun East Senatorial Districts are also receiving attention, as well as major township roads that have been enumerated across the 20 local government areas in line with the inclusiveness promised by the Dapo Abiodun administration.
“The story was the same in Ogun West. These communities might have been marginalised for long, but Governor Abiodun is changing the narrative. I was at Shagamu-Abeokuta axis today. From Friday, we will roll out to provide lasting solution to the Olomore roundabout road in Abeokuta. Our men will also be around Owode/Iyana Ilogbo along Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta road as part of the phase we are going into this weekend. Every part of the state will be touched. No LGA or ward will be left out,” Somorin quoted Akinsanya as saying.
Rasaq Ayinla
