Kunle Adelabu
It came as a rude shock to Igbogbo residents as they found out that HiTech, the company handling the construction of the Igbogbo – Bola Ahmed Tinubu – Afa – Igbe Laara – Gintin road, on Tuesday, has started moving materials meant for the road project to another site, instead of returning to the abandoned site to continue the work that has been on for about seven years.
On hearing about the development, Igbogbo youths quickly mobilized to stop the removal of the construction materials.
It was alleged that staff of the construction company told the protesting youths that stakeholders in the community are aware of the removal of the materials.
When THE IMPACT visited the scene, one of the two long HiTech trucks parked at an abandoned petrol station beside the HiTech second yard opposite the Ansar – Ul – Deen Primary School, Igbogbo, had already loaded precast concrete materials meant for the construction and stored at the place.
The protesting youths alleged that a truck had already carted away some of the materials before their arrival.
They further alleged that the construction materials were being relocated to the Agric – Owutu – Ogolonto axis, where construction work has been intensified by the company.
The protesting youths argued that the action amounted to total marginalization of the community which, according to them, is part of the Ikorodu Division that gave the APC’s Presidential, Governorship, Senatorial, House of Representative and House of Assembly candidates highest votes in the state.
Dr Adeleke Dankuwo, a medical practitioner and one of the youth leaders in Igbogbo, said that they noticed that they were moving the materials from the site and moved in to stop them.
He said that residents are worried about why the materials were being removed and the fate of their own road that has been on for about seven years.
“We have been on this matter for so long. We have appealed and continued to appeal to the Lagos State Government, on this road. Unfortunately, we noticed that HiTech started moving materials away from the site to another site”, he said.
“We just want to know why they are doing that. Does that mean that we are no longer stakeholders in this state? Does that mean that this road has been completely abandoned? Does that mean that nobody is saying anything about it and cares about us? Those are the things that we want to know.
“We are not fighting anybody, but we are worried about our stake in this state. We are worried about what we meant as a people to the state government, because this road has been abandoned for six and half years”.
Dankuwo alleged that the staff of HiTech that came for the removal of the construction materials, confirmed to them that they were directed to remove the materials to Isawo where another construction is going on.
“The staff told us that they are moving the materials to complete the Isawo road, and I asked them what will be the fate of this road if they move the materials to another area? Can’t they produce another materials for Isawo, since these materials are meant for this place”, he said.
“Once these materials are moved from this place, it means that there is no longer hope for this road. We can’t continue like this. We are suffering, and we are appealing to the state government to come to our aid. We can’t continue like this”.
Another prominent youth, Barr. Gbemileke Bakare, flayed the governor for not responding to several letters and communique sent to him over the road and abandonment of the road.
“We noticed that HiTech are removing their materials from Igbogbo, to another site for construction. It is not as if they have finished with this road. This particular project has been abandoned for more than a year, and accessing our houses and going out of the community, have been difficult. We are in pains”, he said.
“We organised a press conference about two months ago, and we sent our communique to the state governor and other appropriate quarters, but there has not been any response. Are they telling us that the Isawo people are better than us?”, the legal practitioner asked.
Bakare added that the government cannot leave residents of Igbogbo, to suffer by moving materials meant for the construction of their road to another area.
“We are paying our taxes too and we are in the same Lagos. You cannot abandon a site and remove its materials to another. You cannot leave us to be suffering”, he said.
“The youths that you are seeing here are not protesting but just telling them that they cannot remove the materials. What we are looking forward to is for them to resume work here”.
Dragon Ewulogbo, an artiste and community activist, described the situation as unjust and unfair.
“This is just unfair and unjust, because we deserve the dividends of democracy, just like every other constituency and LCDA. It has been over seven years that the demolition happened and there is no effect to it. Compensation is still being owed for demolishing our houses”, he said.
“What we were promised from the inception of this construction of this road, is not what they are doing. The resources that are meant for the Igbogbo road, are now being carted away to Isawo. This is totally unfair and unjust.
“We have written an open letter, sent numerous letters to the governor and had media parley and done everything possible”.
Attempt to get the side of the HiTech staff when our reporter arrived at the scene proved abortive as they declined speaking.
