The inauguration of the newly-upgraded Oba Sekumade Road in Ipakodo, Ikorodu Division, Lagos State moved the residents into jubilation to appreciate Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for fulfilling his pledge.
Sanwo-Olu inaugurated the infrastructure, which provides easy access to residential and industrial areas in Ibeshe, Igbogbo-Baiyeku, Ebute Ipakodo, Ikorodu and Ipakodo Mega Jetty Terminal.
The governor also rehabilitated the failed sections of T.O.S. Benson Road, covering a stretch of 500 metres. To ease vehicular congestion on that road, an improvement project was carried out by the government to diffuse traffic towards Ikorodu Roundabout.
Commuters’ experience on Oba Sekumade Road was harrowing, given its deplorable conditions.This prompted the government to list the 2.5-kilometre single-lane roadway in the state’s strategic emergency road rehabilitation and was awarded for comprehensive upgrade and expansion, using Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP).
The intervention saw the busy road upgraded from a single-lane to rigid concrete dual carriageway, thereby improving connectivity and bringing relief to the public.
The road was the first major project to be inaugurated by the governor after he won his re-election two weeks ago.
Sanwo-Olu described the event as a gift for the electorate in Ikorodu Division for turning out second largest votes that made the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the last gubernatorial election.
He said: “Today, we have come back to Ikorodu Division to show our appreciation and say big ‘Thank You’ to Ikorodu residents for keeping faith with our Government. This town has been good to our party with its outstanding voters’ support during elections. What else can we do to demonstrate our appreciation other than to come to this important base of Lagos heritage and hand over a gift of infrastructure that will bring huge benefits to the people.
“The commissioning of Oba Sekumade Road and the rehabilitation of T.O.S Benson Road point to another demonstration of what purposeful governance is all about. These projects reflect our commitment to deliver dividends of democracy and ensure that development touches every nook and cranny of Lagos. These projects are strategic to strengthen various interventions initiated to improve traffic management on this axis. The hardship being experienced by drivers has been resolved, as we have enhanced connectivity and reduced journey time.”
Sanwo-Olu said the Ikorodu Division would further reap more infrastructure benefits during his second term, stressing that the state government had got the assurance of contractors to accelerate construction on other infrastructure projects being constructed in the area.
The governor, particularly, mentioned the ongoing construction of Agric-Isawo Road, which the contractor had pushed to 60 per cent completion. He pledged there would be improvement in the pace of work on Ewu Elepe-Gberigbe Road, Igbogbo-Bola Ahmed Tinubu Road and Adamo-Agunfoye Road construction.
He charged Lagos State Public Works Corporation to fast-track the work on Igbogbo-Baiyeku Road to improve connectivity within the axis.
Sanwo-Olu said the traffic interchange being developed at Ita Elewa Roundabout would change the transportation landscape of Ikorodu when completed. The project, at 55 per cent completion, would open a new BRT corridor within Ikorodu.
He said: “What we are about is ensuring that the next four years come with bigger dividends delivered faster than we have done in our first tenure. There will be accelerated development across the city in the next dispensation. Ikorodu is part of the Greater Lagos that is rising”.
“In the next couple of months, we will be doing groundbreaking for the Fourth Mainland Bridge, which will cut across major sections on Sagamu-Ikorodu Expressway before finally opening to Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. We are committed to delivering this project in our second term to open Ikorodu to the world.”
Also, Sekumade of Ipakodo, Oba Bashiru Shotonwa, described the development as ”historic”, noting that the road remained significant for the development of Ikorodu.
The monarch said the road condition worsened due to the influx of manufacturing companies and residential development, which mounted pressure on its usage.
“Mr. Governor, by fulfilling your promise to us, you have written your name in gold in the history of Ipakodo. We will continue to remember your name for good,” Oba Shotonwa said.
Member representing Ikorodu II in the House of Assembly, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, said the huge votes turned out from Ikorodu was to reciprocate the governor’s gesture towards renewing infrastructure in the town.
The lawmaker said the rehabilitation of T.O.S. Benson Road was an icing on the cake, as it was not part of the original project.
“These roads have brought huge relief to commuters on this axis and we can now say goodbye to flooding of our streets,” Agunbiade said.
Earlier, Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Works & lnfrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye said the various roads were abandoned since 2004 by the Federal Government and hailed the efforts of the administration in the state. She explained that after several interventions to ensure the road is serviceable the State Government decided to go the whole hog to work on the several interlinked roads.
She said: “The lkorodu lighter terminal and the attendant increment in truck volume and axle load caused a rapid deterioration of the pavement as well as a complete collapse of the drainage system that was occasioned by the low lying nature of the road alignment.
“After extensive engineering investigation and soil tests of the underlying soil by adopting a more extensive engineering investigation and tests of the underlying soil by adopting a more expensive but more enduring option of a Continuosly Reinforced Concrete Pavement ( CRCP), for the reconstruction and upgrade of the road as against the option of an asphaltic flexible pavement that was not sustainable.
“The second part of the event signifies the completion of T.O.S. Benson Road. It is important for several reasons as it informs our resolve as a government to allow local engineers in the Public Works Corporation operate side by side with the multinationals, thereby restoring their confidence and ultimately improve on capacity and competence”, she added.
On the strategic importance of the road, she said it created direct jobs over 532 and 189 indirect jobs.
According to her, the rehabilitation and upgrade of the road will check the challenge of flooding and inadequate capacity. This will also translate into improved free flow of traffic and a much needed reduction in travel time for the business owners in the area and the motoring public at large, she added.
She stated that commuters’ experience on Oba Sekumade Road was harrowing, given its deplorable conditions.This prompted the government to list the 2.5-kilometre single-lane roadway in the state’s strategic emergency road rehabilitation programme and was awarded for comprehensive upgrading.
She said the intervention saw the busy road upgraded from a single-lane to rigid concrete dual carriageway, thereby improving connectivity and bringing relief to the public plying the route.