Kunle Adelabu
-It’s another deception – Igbogbo residents
After about a year of vacating the site, HiTech Construction Company, the contractor handling the reconstruction of Igbogbo – Bola Ahmed Tinubu – Igbe Laara Road construction, seems to have returned to site to continue the project that has been under construction for about 8 years.
The company returned to site on Saturday, September 21, and has started excavation from culvert in between the Igbogbo burial ground and NIPCO petrol station.
Again, they were there on Monday, September 23 and some of their workers were also seen at the UAMC (Eleja) Primary School and Agarawu axis.
The company vacated the site months back due to none release of funds by the state government, a situation which also affected the Arab Contractors that is handling Itamaga – Gberigbe road, also in Ikorodu Division.
It was some billions of naira that were released to both companies then.
However, it was gathered that some weeks back, the two contractors have been mobilized and directed to return to sites. While Arab Contractors has since returned with progress on its project, HiTech Construction failed to.
The company did not return not even when the representative of the Ikorodu Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Aro Mshood Abiodun (AMA), other members of the house and officials of the Ministry of Works paid a visit to the site to see the project, especially the Afa bridge axis which usually becomes impassable whenever it rains.
HiTech failed to return to the site despite the agreement with the delegation, to start work at the abandoned bridge.
It was gathered that the company decided to focus on the other project – Agric – Owutu – Isawo road reconstruction which it is also handling.
Attempts to speak with some of their workers to confirm if they are fully back on site to complete the project, was turned down.
Meanwhile, residents of Igbogbo have lost faith in the construction company, as some of them that were asked to comment on the return to site, described it as another deception.
They alleged that the company had, on many occasions over the years, returned to site only to work for a few days and disappeared.
Those that spoke with our reporter said that the company has not moved back its equipment and other construction materials to show that it is serious about its latest return to site.
“It is another ploy to get more money released and after two days or three, they will vacate and disappear again. The Lagos State Government does not consider we, the residents of Igbogbo, part of those that they govern.
“That is why we are being treated like this, because what explanation can best describe the situation if almost ten years after, the project has not make any progress?”, a resident who spoke with our reporter from tricycle said.
Another resident who simply identified himself as Mr Moshod, also responding to our reporter’s question at the NIPCO petrol station, also dismissed the return of the construction company as a ruse.
“Have they moved back all the construction equipment and materials that were moved out from Igbogbo to Isawo project some months back? How many of their workers are you seeing on the site?”, he asked.
“The company is only playing on our intelligence and this is allowed by some people in the government. We are only hearing about release of money to them from time – to – time and the government is not saying anything to us.
“The last time that they spoke was when they denied that it was not Pastor Ashimolowo’s Church that was repairing the road for its crusade, but this later turned out to be true, because the company exited the site immediately after the crusade.
“We don’t matter to the Lagos State Government at all”, he said.
