Encomium
– as bridge construction resumes
The Ojodu/Alagbole/Akute road has been closed again with the resumption of work, weeks after the Chinese construction firm handling the project allegedly abandoned it because of paucity of funds.
When ENCOMIUM Weekly visited the bridge construction site on Saturday, July 26, 2014, the engineering firm, Xian had returned with their equipment. Some failed parts of the road were also marked off with tape to warn motorists and pedestrians on the danger of using the section.
Meanwhile, residents of the area have again accused Ogun State government and the firm handling the project of being insensitive and crude in their approach to the closure of the busy road. Some of them who spoke with us claimed they were always not informed before the road is closed.
One Abiodun Aremu, who lives in United Estate, Alagbole, observed that the road closure was never announced officially, through radio or television.
“There was no official communication to motorists to this effect. We are just being taken for granted.”
And corroborating Aremu’s line of though, ENCOMIUM Weekly’s reporters sighted some badly written notices posted around the Odo, Alagbole area of the construction site. They read:
Notice1 Notice!!! Notice!!! This is to inform you that the road will be close (sic) on Monday, due to construction going on. You are hereby advice (sic) to take another route. Sorry for the inconveniency (sic). Mission: To rebuild Ogun State.” Management.
Similarly, another aggrieved resident, Muyiwa Abiodun chided the Chinese road construction workers for not providing a by-pass in the less than 500 metre section where the bridge construction is going on. He said: “It is shameful that these exploitive Chinese cannot construct an alternative route for motorists. What would it take to do this. How can you close a very important road of about 20 km, the major access to Lagos just because you are building a bridge in just a section of it. It’s crazy and unacceptable.”
The closure of the Ojodu/Alagbole/Akute road for almost four months, after Easter had sparked off outrage in the area, especially when commuting became impossible for the over 32 communities using the road. Not even the stoppage of work back then could make the workers re-open the road. It took a team of soldiers, who stormed the area then to sack the police and touts extorting money from motorists to access the road. The road was then forceful reopened.
And days after, work has now resumed with the condition that the road would remain closed until the critical part of the job is completed.
Expectedly, residents, commuters and motorists plying the route are kicking against it. Their grouse being that an alternative road would have been constructed around the construction area to alleviate their plight.
– UCHE OLEHI
