•Residents forced to trek, park vehicles away from homes over bad inner roads •We are fixing them —Govt
•Jankara, Ipaja, Oshodi residents groan, Ogba, VI, Ikoyi dwellers jubilate
DAYO AYEYEMI writes on the state of inner roads in Lagos and efforts of the state government to bring succour.
IN a glaring case of different strokes, residents of Lagos State are betraying different emotions over inner roads in their communities.
While some are jubilant over the reconstruction of such roads in their areas, others are complaining bitterly about the alleged neglect of theirs, and the untold hardship their deplorable state is causing them.
The state government however insisted that work is ongoing on many while some have been completed and commissioned.
The Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration equally claimed that it had commissioned 29 of such roads in about seven weeks.
Residents of areas with dilapidated inner roads while acknowledging that the governor truly commissioned some major roads recently could not understand the reason behind the sorry state of streets in their communities.
Some of the neighbourhoods, according to Saturday Tribune survey, include the Jankara axis of Ijaiye-Ojokoro, Oke-Odo, Kola Bus-Stop, Bammeke community in Shasha, Egbeda/Alimosho; roads in Jakande Estate in Ipaja and Mafoluku Road in the Mafoluku-Oshodi area.
Inner streets begging for attention in Agege and Ikeja areas are Balogun, Daniyan Bashorun and Kadiri Streets as well as Guinness Road linking Agege motor road to Oba Akran.
Another prominent inner road in bad shape is the Isolo/Jakande Gate road, which residents and motorists say is inflicting a lot of pains on them.
Another of such bad roads within the Isolo axis is the Aswani Market road which has reportedly become a pain in the neck for commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators who ply the road for daily living.
For Powerline road, from Jankara auto-spare part market area of Ijaiye-Ojokoro connecting Olaniyi Street, residents told Saturday Tribune that attempts had been made in the past by the state government to construct the road, which would have been a good alternative route for many motorists, who want to connect Fagba, Ogba and other areas within the axis.
It was however alleged that just a side of the drainage was done, with the hope of users dashed as the rest was abandoned.
“The construction work was during [Governor Akinwunmi] Ambode’s administration, with the people in the area already jubilating but nobody is saying anything since then. And we will be happy if Sanwo-Olu’s government can revisit the project and ensure the road is constructed,” Mr Tunde Ileyemi, a resident, said.
Seeing is believing
Similarly, Saturday Tribune observed that most of the roads such as Ope Ewe, Omoyeni, and others, around Jankara axis in Ijaiye Ojokoro area are in a very bad shape and no construction work was ongoing.
The people in the area wondered to Saturday Tribune if they were no longer part of Lagos State, considering the repair works currently going on in other parts of the state.
A resident in Ile-Epo/Oke-Odo area, Akin Yusuf, mentioned that Evangelist Oloruntosin Street, Raji Rasaki Street, Pipeline road, Alabede road, Akinmolu road and Mosan road are terribly bad.
He emphasised that Alabede road between Aboru and Iyana-Ipaja is very bad, adding that the bridge “has almost given way.”
Residents of these communities are calling for quick response from the state government, to lessen their burden of navigating the bad roads on daily basis, when going out and returning.
Yusuf said that residents suffer untold hardship due to the bad roads, while appealing to the state governor to remember their communities.
“Poor roads do not benefit anybody, rather residents suffer pains, motorists spend more money on repairs, school children are late to school and the entire communities remain in bad shape. We are appealing to Governor Sanwo-Olu to remember us and help fix these roads,” he said
A journalist who recently passed through the Shasha area of Egbeda described Bammeke road and others in the locality as bad, though he also sighted some inner roads that appeared done not too long ago. The repaired inner roads are closest to the main road.
He said that residents and motorists have bitter stories to tell about the situation, just like other residents in neighbourhoods facing similar infrastructural challenge.
For the residents of Amje, a Lagos suburb in the Agbado area, living in the community has been hectic as the only bridge in the area has collapsed, dividing the neighbourhood into two.
According to some of the residents, the streets are full of potholes and are impassable for motorists.
Speaking with Saturday Tribune, a resident, Ade Oredola, said presently, Lagos State Ministry of Environment has moved in, trying to reconstruct the damaged canals in order to reconnect the community.
Even now, Oredola said residents still park their cars in safe locations and trek home due to the damaged bridge/canal.
“Most of the residents have to relocate elsewhere, leaving behind landlords and those who do not have the wherewithal to get new accommodation,” he disclosed
Because of the bad roads and damaged bridge, Oredola said that it has become more difficult for business owners to cope, as well as school children.
Media focus
Meanwhile, as some residents are lamenting over the bad roads, calling for the intervention of the state government in fixing them, others are singing the praises of the state authorities for remembering them in terms of infrastructure renewal. In this group are residents of Bariga, Shomolu, Ayobo, Ogba Ijaiye, Ikeja, Igando, Ojo, Victoria Island and Ikoyi.
Recently, the governor disclosed that his administration had fixed 29 inner roads in the state in seven weeks to the applause of the residents in the neighbourhoods where the interventions were made.
The issue of inner roads in Lagos has been a contentious one with the general perception of inadequate government attention before the latest effort by the state government to change the popular narrative that Lagos inner roads are victims of the highways that always receive constant attention to remain not only motorable but very attractive to sight.
Mid-2024, Television Continental (TVC) and TV360, in a series of videos posted on YouTube, brought to the fore the deplorable state of inner roads in Ipaja Ayobo, Osodi, Mowonla and Ijede (in Ikorodu), among others. The reports, which presented residents, community leaders and motorists lamenting the state of the roads, were put together on June 7 and 29, 2024 by TV360, while TVC’s report on the Ikorodu roads was put together on September 24, 2023.
On March 22, 2022, Channels TV also focused on the old Ojo route, putting the plights of the users on the front burner. In a May 19, 2024 report, Guardian newspaper also did a comprehensive expose of the deplorable condition of roads in Oshodi/Isolo axis of the state. Its head office is located in the area.
Another report by nijinsight.com on February 15, 2024 focused on the Ogba inner road crisis.
A thing of past?
The state government however seems to be saying in words and deeds that the inner road headache of the residents is about to become a thing of the past. In the last two months, the state government has not stopped to excite residents due to a plethora of reconstructed inner roads being delivered across the state, including some of those focused by different media platforms in their recent reports, due to their bad conditions. The commissioning of these roads has also offered residents the opportunity to point the attention of the governor to other inner roads that needed intervention in their localities. From Bariga to Shomolu, Ayobo, Ogba Ijaiye, Ikeja and Ikoyi, among others, residents have not stopped acting Oliver Twist, requesting the governor to remember their streets.
“As the government is fixing major roads, inner streets are also being attended to,” director of public affairs, Lagos Ministry of Work, Mr Sina Odunuga, said when contacted. He added that the Lagos Public Works “is responsible for the rehabilitation of inner streets.”
He listed some of the inner roads worked upon by the agency in January 2025 to include: Eko Club, Eko Club Close; Ijaiye Road Ogba; Boundary Road Taxi Park in Ajeromi-ifelodun; Ogombo road in Eti-Osa; Apongbon road inward Marina in Lagos Island; Jagbojagbo Street/Moshalashi Street; Oguntade Street in Epe and Oba Ogunji/Oke Koto/Old Abeokuta road in Agege. Besides, Odunuga said the agency also carried out drainage repairs, desilting in Eric Moore Street, Ayodele Diyan Street, Ijaiye road, Ogba and Kam Salem Street.
A harvest of commissioning
Before the close of 2024, Governor Sanwo-Olu commissioned Babafemi Dada with a bridge and the Yinka Folarin, Jamiu Lawal and Shalom Academy’s network of roads in the Alimosho area. The commissioned project comprised a bridge and a network of four roads with a total length of 1.8 kilometres, including a 250-meter-long deck on a pile with a nine-meter-wide semi-rigid pavement finish. The infrastructure was further enhanced by the installation of solar-powered streetlights, as the project provided safe and accessible motorable routes for the Igando-Ayobo community and surrounding settlements.
Recalling the state of the roads before the intervention, the chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Works and Infrastructure, Hon. Desmond Elliot, his counterparts, Hon. Jimoh Orelope (Alimosho I), Hon. Kehinde Joseph and Onigando of Igando, Oba Lasisi Gbadamosi, said the previous infrastructure at the location was a wooden bridge, which was still tolled for residents and motorists to move from Ayobo to Igando despite the high risk and long travel time.
Also in January 2025, a network of five roads was commissioned in Ikeja Government Reservation Area (IGRA) by the governor. The five strategic roads in the area include Oba Dosumu Street, Oduduwa Way, Oduduwa Crescent, Sobo Arobiodu, and Sasegbon streets – measuring 6.134 km, with an improved drainage network that would reportedly stem the perennial flooding in the area. The governor also commissioned six major roads (4.7 km) across three Local Governments (LGs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Akoka, Bariga and Gbagada. Commissioning some network of roads in Eti-Osa Local Government Area, Sanwo-Olu, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to infrastructure development.
‘29 road commissioned in seven weeks’
The governor said that 29 roads across the state had been commissioned in seven weeks, adding that the latest milestone was the commissioning of the Chief Yesufu Abiodun Oniru/Akiogun road, located in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area, an alternative route to the Admiralty Circle Plaza. In his speech, Sanwo-Olu highlighted the importance of the Abudu Smith road, which connects strategic routes such as Femi Piers and Adeola Odeku. He emphasised that the new road would not only ease traffic congestion but also improve the quality of life for citizens by reducing travel time and enhancing socioeconomic opportunities.
The governor further outlined the progress made since December 2024, with completed road projects across Kosofe, Ifako-Ijaiye, Eti-Osa, Alimosho, Ikeja, and Amuwo.
He also shared plans to extend the infrastructure development to Badagry, Agege, Alimosho, and other parts of the state.
“We remain committed to improving the lives of all Lagosians, irrespective of their location or economic standing,” said Sanwo-Olu, noting that “our goal is to ensure no one is left behind in our development agenda.”
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso, said the projects further attested to Governor Sanwo-Olu’s resolve to sustain the delivery of modern and enduring infrastructure that would make transportation across Lagos easy and smooth. He urged residents to remain observant and cooperate with the government to ensure that the refurbished roads are not vandalised, giving the assurance that Sanwo-Olu’s administration would continue to upgrade old roads and build more for their benefit in fulfillment of his promise to residents of the state.
Speaking during one of the commissioning ceremonies attended by the deputy governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; the senator for Lagos West, Senator Oluranti Adebule; members of the State Executive Council and the Lagos State House of Assembly, traditional, religious and political leaders, among others, Governor Sanwo-Olu expressed confidence that the delivery of the projects would further enhance economic achievements in the Alimosho area of the state.
He noted that the critical infrastructure project, delivered on schedule, reflected his administration’s dedication to improving the lives of Lagosians through purposeful governance.
He said: “This achievement underscores our administration’s resolve to back our words with action. For the good people of Alimosho, this is not just a road and bridge; it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to building infrastructure that serves both immediate needs and long-term growth.
“One of the fundamental needs in Lagos State is road infrastructure, which significantly impacts the health, welfare, and productivity of our people. This is why Traffic Management and Transportation was made the first pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S.+ Agenda. Adequate and high-quality infrastructure remains a critical challenge for any responsive government, and we have risen to meet that challenge.
“This infrastructure provides safe and efficient access while opening the axis for economic development, linking LASU-IBA and Condos roads. This project aligns with the state’s strategic transportation master plan, ensuring inclusiveness, accessibility, and sustainability.
“With its completion, we have improved the drainage network, addressed perennial flooding, and created jobs for over 342 individuals directly while generating opportunities for numerous others indirectly.
“Professionals, including engineers, quality assurance experts, suppliers, administrative staff, artisans, and unskilled labourers, have all benefited from this initiative. Allied industries, such as cement, steel, and solar light manufacturers, have also experienced economic growth.
“This infrastructure supports our broader vision of stimulating local economies and creating a framework for sustained growth. By reducing commute times and costs, the bridge and road network will enhance the quality of life for residents and promote productivity. The project represents a significant leap forward in improving transportation, fostering economic activity, and ensuring the equitable distribution of infrastructure.”
Local ownership
As a way of preserving the projects, the state helmsman charged the residents to take ownership.
“I urge residents to take pride in this achievement and charge the CDAs to commit to its maintenance and responsible use. I want you to see this project as your own, because you are the direct beneficiaries of its dividends. I see you as our partners in this journey of state-building, and we value your cooperation and feedback on this and other projects,” he said.
Special Adviser to the Governor on infrastructure, Mr Olufemi Daramola, said the construction and commissioning of the bridges and network of roads stand as another milestone of the administration’s commitment to infrastructure development that enhances the socio-economic well-being of residents, adding that with the successful completion of the roads, the state government has improved connectivity and alleviated traffic congestion, fostering economic growth and development.
Residents speak
One of the residents, Mrs Serifat Ojo, recounted her experience before the road in her area of residence was completed.
She said, “Previously, travelling from Ayobo to Igando via Egbeda took an hour; now it only takes 15 minutes.”
Other residents who spoke with Saturday Tribune encouraged the state government to do more even as they praised the efforts made so far.
Another resident and former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, in his reaction, lauded the Sanwo-Olu administration for the road renewal project.
He stated that though he is neither a member of the APC nor planning to join, partisanship would not stop him from appreciating the good works of the governor in the area of road infrastructure.
He however pointed the attention of the governor to other roads within Ikeja GRA that require urgent attention.
In his response, Governor Sanwo-Olu directed his special adviser on work and infrastructure to take a look at the identified roads so that they could be included in the next phase of the state-wide rehabilitation project.
He admonished residents to protect the roads and ensure they are not vandalised.
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