Infrastructure renewal: Ikeja GRA wears new look

Ikeja GRA is home to a diverse range of commercial enterprises, from entertainment outlets and restaurants to financial institutions and boutique hotels.

However, this remarkable growth in commercial activities has also brought with it several environmental and infrastructural challenges.

The most pressing of these has been perennial flooding, which has impacted properties and significantly degraded the road network.

In response to these challenges, the Lagos State Government, under the leadership of Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, developed the Urban Regeneration Intervention Policy, aimed at rehabilitating and upgrading key roads in the state.

This project exemplifies the government’s proactive approach to revitalizing critical infrastructure and ensuring that Ikeja GRA remains a thriving, sustainable area for both residents and businesses.

However, this was brought to reality last week as the governor commissioned the newly rehabilitated network of roads in the exclusive Ikeja GRA to the admiration of all residents, business owners and visitors alike.

The roads comprised Oba Dosumu Street, Oduduwa Way, Oduduwa Crescent, Sasegbon Street and Sobo Arobiodu Street.

Speaking, Sanwo-Olu restated his administration’s unwavering commitment to the delivery of quality infrastructure to improve the lives of residents of Lagos State, assuring residents that no part of the state would be left behind in the government’s urban regeneration bid.

The newly rehabilitated roads, he said would ease vehicular movement, improve interconnectivity and also enhance the drainage network, ensuring efficient stormwater management to combat the recurrent flooding that has plagued the area.

Sanwo-Olu said the network of roads would bring about socio-economic growth and development of the area, improve the quality of lives of residents, and impact positively on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the state.

He said: “The rehabilitated roads and drainage systems will mitigate flooding and erosion, reduce traffic congestion and commute times. It will also enhance safety and security, improve the aesthetics of the environment, and increase property values. More importantly, the completion of this network of roads is expected to further boost business turnover, ultimately contributing to the growth of the state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).”

Special Adviser, Office of Infrastructure, Olufemi Daramola, said the newly rehabilitated roads would ease vehicular movement, improve interconnectivity and also enhance the drainage network, ensuring efficient stormwater management to combat the recurrent flooding that has plagued the area.

“This is in line with Pillar T in the THEMES+ Agenda, which focuses on Traffic Management and Transportation—a core priority of the Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu and Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat administration,” he said.

Elated Chairman of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema, advised Governor Sanwo-Olu not to go into business, but to remain in politics after the expiration of the latter’s tenure in 2027.

Onyema, who was impressed by the achievements of the governor in the area of infrastructural transformation of Lagos, described him the “right peg in the right hole.”

He pointed out that going by the newly inaugurated network of roads, Sanwo-Olu has not only transformed Ikeja G.R.A., but entire Lagos.

Former Ekiti State Government, Ayodele Fayose, commended Governor Sanwo-Olu’s giant stride in road infrastructure development.

“Well, I first came here to celebrate your good works. I appreciate you.

“I am not a member of APC, and I will never be a member. But I will not shy away from the fact that what is good, is good,” he said.

READ ALSO: Lagos takes urban regeneration project to Ikeja GRA