What we want from Makinde —Ibadan community residents

RESIDENTS of Ifesowapo Landlords and Landladies Association, Elenusonso community in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State have appealed to the state governor, Seyi Makinde to, as matter of urgency, reconstruct the only road that links the community with other communities in the area.

The people made the appeal in a release jointly signed by the central chairman, Babajide Adebayo; the central secretary, Salako Abolade; the Public Relations Officer (PRO), Sunday Oriade; the Aare, Elenusonsoland, Chief Abdulfatai Adetokun and the Asipa Balogun of Elenusonso,

The release disclosed how the community had written series of Save-Our-Soul letters to the Governor’s Office and Ministry of Works and Transport on the suffering and hazards being experienced on the road by residents living in Kolobo Ayedade Adejumo, Alawoye Abese, Agoro, Alagba, Onigari, Ogunse, Gegelose and Ogundele communities.

Others are Orowole Olokun, Aganni, Akeka, Alagba, Akadi, Ologbun, Akankan, Maku, Odufemi, Mowumi, Adogbe, Ojuka, Ajobiare, Akotipopo, Asipa, Eleranko and Odemi communities.

The people further said that the state Ministry of Works and Transport, through its Highways Department and Governor’s Office through the Special Assistant (Protocols), acknowledged their letters, but nothing came from the acknowledgment.

The people explained some incidents that occurred such as gas explosion where the Fire  Services at the state secretariat came to their rescue, the school buses that fell from Oke-Elenusonso into the ditch where many people sustained injuries, the overflowing of river banks of Odo Elenusonso, Odo Eleranko and Odo Odemi causing floods that led to loss of lives and property of members of the affected communities, all due to the bad road.

Nigerian Tribune learnt that the aforementioned road has economic, political and social values to the internal generated revenue (IGR) to both state and Ido Local Government Area respectively.

“Our communities are of great economic value to the state government, but we have been abandoned for many years. Our children, especially those of school age have suffered and are still suffering. Our pregnant women have witnessed premature delivery due to the state of the road,” the people said.

Nigerian Tribune further gathered that farmers, traders, among others in the communities could not transport their farm produce and goods to and fro as a result of bad roads thereby affecting their incomes to cater for their families.

It was also gathered that transport fares have gone up while tricycle, motorbike and other transportation system have neglected the areas, adding that transporters have, times without number, charged them exorbitantly before they could ply the damaged roads.

“Despite the fact that we are paying our taxes as and when due, there is no single social amenity in our communities. We always use self-help to grade the road once in a year, particularly during dry season.

“We are using this medium to beg our listening governor to come to our rescue and fix the road from Elenusonso to Ido Local Government Area headquarters junction. We also want the governor to consider our communities in the scheme of things like he has done to other communities across the state,” the people appealed.

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