Dilapidated road, manholes in front of Lagos council secretariat cause traffic

Road users in Ejigbo, a Lagos suburb, have expressed their disappointment over the traffic encountered daily due to the dilapidated road worsened by manholes, in front of local council secretariat.

The motorists complained about the manholes on both sides of the road at NNPC junction adding that they spend hours at that road section daily.

To add to their frustration, they said, the manholes causing the heavy traffic are just in front of the council secretariat.

“They are deceiving themselves, useless leaders,” an angry motorist, Lasisi Adetona, said.

Godwin Alegua, a commercial bus driver, said the bad road forces them to pass through a different route that ends up stretching the duration of their trip.

“Most of us always pass through the other road because we cannot wait for the long traffic,” he said.

“Though the road is long journey for us but it is better than waiting for hours. You know say we must deliver money to the owner of the bus.”

The complaints come barely one month after Monsuru Bello, the Chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, celebrated his first 100 days in office with “remarkable projects,” he embarked upon.

Among the projects included roads and primary health care centres.

Isaac Farantimi, a commuter, said most of the projects carried out were “politically motivated.”

“He went to streets far from the major road and repair the roads there leaving the right in front of the council,” Mr. Farantimi said.

“What does that tell? That means he did some projects to satisfy some politicians living around where those projects where done.”

Amaechi Ezeagu, another commuter, said the bad road was not repaired immediately it showed early signs of dilapidation.

“Instead of patching it when it was small, they left it until its a big problem. I don’t know if they think about the problems of the masses. How can they leave people to be suffering like this?”

Mr. Bello had blamed the bad road on past leaders of the council who, he said, had left some critical “developmental projects undone while some were half done.”

Responding to the people’s complaints on Monday, the Ejigbo council boss, said he was aware of the situation.

“We will start fixing the road today (Tuesday). We are (not) patching it but giving it a permanent repair,” Mr. Bello said, speaking through the Council’s Information Unit.

“We feel their pain. Their suffering about the road will soon be over.”