Kunle Adelabu
Legislators in Ikorodu Local Government have agreed to appeal to the men of the Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) to rehabilitate the Adeniran Ogunsanya Road (also known and called Itunmoja/Ogushi/Sabo road) in Ikorodu.
They established that the road, which is a state road, is among the roads listed for rehabilitation in the LSPWC assignments in Ikorodu Division, while also directing the House Committee on Works to plead with the LSPWC personnel to also assist in repairing some other roads that are critical to the daily social and economic activities of Ikordu people but which are currently in bad state.
It was also resolved at the plenary session of the Legislative Arm of the council, held on Thursday, February 27, 2020, and presided over by Hon. Toheeb Shokunbi, the representative of Ward F, that the Council Chairman should engage LSPWC and ensure that some of the inner roads listed for rehabilitation by the council are also discussed with the agency for the purpose of engaging their services in that regard.
Hon. Harzeez Banwo representing Ward D, while raising the issue over the dilapidated state of the Sabo road during the Councilor’s deliberation at the hallow chamber, stated that the council should contact LSPWC, which is currently embarking on rehabilitation works in Ikorodu, to also rehabilitate Sabo road which, according to him, is strategic to the social and economic lives of the residents of Ikorodu.
“I want to call the attention of the house to the state of some roads in Ikorodu which we have been talking about over time due to their dilapidated conditions. The presence of the LSPWC men has given us window of opportunity and I want this house give directive that the council should speak with LSPWC to help in rehabilitating some other roads that are not included in its assignment in Ikorodu “, he stated.
“The council can negotiate with LSPWC on what to pay to rehabilitate some of these roads, such as Sabo road, which the council plans to do this year”.
He pleaded with house to write the chairman to intervene by speaking with the LSPWC about Sabo road and others that need attention of the government.
“Sabo road is an economically viable road and also has social importance. The road is strategic as Sabo market generate revenue for the council. Ikorodu residents can also connect Ijebu-Ode, Epe and Shagamu through the road” Hn. Banwo argued.
The Majority Leader of the House who is representing Ward C IN Ikorodu LG, Hon. Omotayo Awolesi, contributing, enjoined the house to ask Hon Olohunwa Oshodi’s House Committee on works to intensify efforts in presenting the house positions to LSPWC on roads needing the government’s attention in Ikorodu.
He opposed using council fund for the rehabilitation of Sabo road which he said is a state road and which has been listed among roads to be rehabilitated by LSPWC.
He said that, “The council has spent so much money on projects in Ward D whch Hon. Banwo is representing and to ask the council to commit so much more on Sabo road when other wards have only benefitted boreholes project in the last two years should not be encouraged. Other wards deserve the council’s attention too” he stated.
In his own contribution to the debate, Deputy Leader, Hon. Adebowale Adebola who is representing Ward E, stated that part of Hon. Oshodi’s findings as reported at the previous sitting was that honourable members should compile photographs of roads needing rehabilitation in their respective domains so that the house can attach them to the letter to LSPWC for action.
He also established that Sabo road is a state road which has already been captured for rehabilitation by LSPWC.
The Councilor representing Ward A in the council, Hon. Gbenga Awobajo, in his own contribution to the deliberation, stated that Hon. Banwo is only exercising his rights to represent his ward, while he also stated that other inner roads mentioned for rehabilitation are situated within the Ward of the House Committee’s Chairman on Works.
He charged the council to be fair to other wards that are yet to receive the council’s attention in about three years that the current administration has come on board.
Hon. Olohunwa Oshodi, the Councilor representing Ward B and Chairman, House Committee on Works, in his submission, stated that :
“My committee has been meeting with LSPWC over Sabo road and other roads. They have assured that Sabo road is among the roads to be rehabilitated.
“We have equally solicited for rehabilitation of other roads that are not listed in their schedules and we have reported to the house on what each lawmaker is expected to do by taking pictures of bad roads in their wards and submit them to the committee”, he added.
He reported to the house that LSPWC did partial patching on the already rehabilitated Ireshe road while full patching is ongoing on Ikorodu-Igbogbo road.
