Some months back the Nigerian Tribune published a story, ‘This Ogun bridge is falling down’ and in a response, the state government rehabilitated the bridge and put smile on the faces of residents. Olayinka Olukoya reports.
In the recent past, the people of Isale-Igbehin community in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital were full of complaints about two pedestrian bridges that were sited side by side and were both collapsing making life difficult for the residents.
The Nigerian Tribune in its South West report in a bid to highlight the peoples’ plight published a report on the state of the two pedestrian bridges at Isale-Igbein community, in Abeokuta South Local Government Area, which were on the verge of collapsing.
The caption of the piece was ‘This Ogun Bridge is falling down’, with the intention of drawing the attention of the authorities concerned and reiterate the need to act urgently on the matter, so as to avert danger that might occur if the bridges were left unattended to.
Nigerian Tribune recalls that the pedestrian bridge was one of the constituency projects of a former member of the House of Assembly in the 7th Legislature, Honourable Wilfred Allen-Taylor, to serve as a link between the communities and its environs.
After the publication, the Ogun State Government, immediately awarded the construction of a new bridge for the people in the area.
One of the community leaders, Pastor Omoniyi Ayodele, in an interview with Nigerian Tribune, could not hide his joy at the prompt intervention of the state government on the construction of a new pedestrian bridge for them and other adjoining communities.
Ayodele said that community leaders wrote a letter of appeal to the state government to draw its attention to the collapsing state of the pedestrian bridge. He also appreciated the Nigerian Tribune for the piece which, according to him, equally served a good purpose.
The community leader said, “The entire community cannot appreciate Governor Amosun enough for this gesture and the prompt intervention. The bridge is serving so many communities and more importantly the only primary school around us.
“Words enough cannot be enough to thank Mr. Governor and his team for attending to the yearning of the people. This pedestrian bridge will continue to serve its purpose and we promise to maintain it.”
For Pa Dauda Sobande, the construction of the bridge for the people by government is worth commendation.
He said the community was surprised when the contractor moved to the site and the work completed within the stipulated time.
However, Sobande, noted that the job is incomplete without the construction of what he referred to as standing back to keep the bridge from being washed away by erosion.
“We do not want the effort of government to be in vain, hence, we are calling the attention of those concerned on the need to provide concrete on the sides of the river housing the bridge, so as to prevent erosion from damaging it.”
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Dayo Adeneye, said that the administration would continue to provide more dividends of democracy, despite the present economic realities in the country.
He urged the people of the state to continue to support the programmes and policies of government.
Adedayo attributed communication between the government and the people as a factor that would continue to facilitate development in the state.
“This pedestrian bridge is just one of many more to be built across the length and breath of the state as the Sen. Ibikunle Amosun led administration continues its mission to rebuild Ogun state.
“We simply ask that residents and taxpayers in the state to continue to support the government in its efforts in breaking new grounds to improve the quality of life while modernising the state,” he said.
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