Mile12-Ikorodu road: New challenges emerge

Few years before now, the major demand of millions of residents of Ikorodu from the Federal and Lagos state governments was the reconstruction of the Mile 12-Ikorodu road to respond to the population explosion in the axis. But today, there are fresh challenges as the work progresses.

The expansion process of the over 50-year-old road originally constructed by the Federal Government began last quarter of year 2012, as the state government mobilized  the contractor- Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation, CCECC, to site.

Though the expansion work had since started and 50 percent construction work done according to the Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority,  LAMATA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola,who spoke  at the fourth stakeholders’ forum on Mile 12-Ikorodu road expansion held at the Ikorodu-West Local Council Development Area, LCDA secretariat, Owutu.
The residents are happy with the progress made on the expansion work but now demand that the state government should urgently build the inner roads and fly-over -linking the expressway.
Speaking at the forum, the residents argued that the inner roads are in bad shape.

Mr. Ola Omotayo, a resident of Ikorodu, lamented: “For instance, the road on Thomas Street, which is the only alternative road for residents to link the six-lane, is in total disrepair. And this is an inner road expected to serve the residents.
Another resident, Mr. Femi Idris said; “The only inner road that was included in the 2013 budget was the Ishawo road.”

Idris noted that larger percent of the streets are yet to feel the impact of the ongoing expansion because the inner city roads are still in bad shape.
According to him “The residents will be happy if at least 10 meters of the inner roads that are linking the major road are constructed.”
Responding, Mobereola said; “For those expecting more from LAMATA, we appreciate you but we need to understand that every project has financial implication.

The problem of drainage and inner city road can only be handled by the state government. We are willing to construct inner road but there is paucity of fund. The fund for this project has been provided and inner city road were not included in the scope of work.

The project manager, Mr. Femi Fayombo however said “When we finish the road construction at the end of the year, as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, we will handle some of the inner roads.”
Fayombo explained that it is the responsibility of LAMATA and CCECC to ensure that the entrance of some of   the inner roads from the expressway are tidied-up.
“We will try and tidy-up some of them,” he said.