Residents decry poor state of Ikorodu-Sagamu highway

Lagos and Ogun states residents under the aegis of Concerned Citizens of Ikorodu, Ogijo and Sagamu, have expressed concern over the deplorable state of Ikorodu-Sagamu road.

They said because of the poor state of the highway, the coming of every rainy season usually bring bitter experience to the road users.

Worried by this development, CCIOS sent a petition to the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Ononememen, to intervene urgently before the residents are cut off from their various communities.

The petition by the group’s Chairman, Mr. Laja Martins; Executive Secretary, Mr. B.A. Oshodi and Vice-Chairman, Mr. M.A. Fajemirokun, were also sent to President Goodluck Jonathan, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Lagos Governor Babatunde Fashola and his Ogun State counterpart, Ibikunle Amosun, among others.

 The petition reads in part, “The Lagos-Ikorodu-Sagamu highway is Nigeria’s first every priority road and for many years before the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, was the only link between Lagos as the nation’s capital at that time to all other major cities in the North and the East.

“It was therefore the highway plied by our founding fathers – Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, among others.

“The state of the Lagos-Ikorodu-Sagamu highway has been of great concern to all users of the road in recent years. The Odogunyan-Ogijo-Sagamu stretch, most probably ranks as one of the worst highways in the country. The comings of rainy seasons bring bitter experience to road users.”

It said individuals and corporate efforts, including palliatives by the Lagos State Public Works Corporation, only kept the highway motorable to some extent.

The group alleged that many lives had been lost to accidents on the road.

It added that recently, some youths in the area, especially those living opposite Lagos Polytechnic, Ikorodu, took to the streets to register their annoyance over an accident that claimed the life of the wife of a lecturer in the institution.

It said said, “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 state of road and hit her car from behind.

“We could go on with more gory experiences and facts on the negative impacts of the sorry state of the highway.”

The group said it decided to come together to bring the state of the highway to the front burner.

It therefore sought an audience with Onolemehen and lawmakers who have oversight functions over the Ikorodu-Sagamu highway.

He said previous petitions sent through their representatives in the National Assembly were not responded to. He said, “It is lamentable that the highway, which accommodates 18 industries, including nine steel companies, could be allowed to deteriorate like that.”