By Chioma Obinagwam
It looks like efforts made by the Lagos State government to improve on road infrastructure is alien to the people of Ayobo and Isheri-Olofin, in Alimosho Local Government Area (LGA).
Confiance News gathered from a source who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, that the people resorted to constructing a Plank bridge linking Ayobo with Isheri-Olofin, having waited for a long period for the government to fulfil its promise of constructing a bridge for them.
Further investigation by Confiance News revealed that motorists were made to pay N250 per pass, to enable them use the bridge, which is a shorter route linking Ayobo with Isheri-Olofin.
Despite having to queue to use the bridge, motorists see it as a better alternative to the road where they have to spend hours in heavy traffic.
Confiance News also learnt that there was an occasion where a bus fell off the bridge.
Nevertheless, motorists defy the risk of falling off the bridge or a possible collapse of it to use it, since passing that route would mean that they would get to their destination on time.
Meanwhile, the state governor, Babajide Samwo-Olu, during his 2020 budget presentation which stood at N1.168 trillion, stated that bigger portions of previous budgets were invested on capital expenditure and promised to invest more in it in the coming year.
“This budget seeks to aggressively invest in and develop our education, health and other physical infrastructure sectors. As at September 2019, our capital expenditure on works and infrastructure was just N31 billion, which is less compared with N78 billion proposed in the current year. It is our intention to spend N115 billion on physical infrastructure in 2020,” he said.
A recent report by the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) showed that the council will soon commence repairs on major roads and water channels to ease movements of people.
Also in the report, he said that some roads and streets within the council area would benefit from the rehabilitation works.
‘‘There will be major repairs on our roads and drainage channels within the local government which will commence shortly,” he stated.
While residents and road users of Ayobo Isher-Olofin hope for a fair share of infrastructure in the 2020 budget from the Lagos State government, they have resorted to taking their destinies in their own hands by improving a bridge.
See pictures below:
Photo credit: Isaac Ayodele
