By Meletus EZE
Some Epe residents and motorists plying the Epe-Ikorodu Expressway on Tuesday urged the incoming Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to rehabilitate the road on assumption of office.
TBI Africa said that the motorists and residents spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Epe, on Tuesday.
They said that the only expressway linking Epe with Ikorodu was in deplorable condition.
Mrs Funke Atoyegbe, a businesswoman, said that the bad Ikorodu-Epe Expressway was affecting commercial and business relationship between the two communities.
“We do most of our fishing and agricultural business with Ikorodu people and those in its environs, but the deplorable condition of the road has crippled the business relationship because the place is a no go area; the road is discouraging, ” she said.
Atoyegbe urged Sanwo-Olu to change their situation when he comes on board.
A motorist, Mr Demola Olufowobi, said that the bad expressway had put his vehicle in bad condition.
“I spend big money on the repairs of my car anytime I pass through the road.
“I see the road as the shortest to mainland, that is why I ply it, but the condition of the expressway is so bad for vehicles to pass through it.
“Most of the motorists try to avoid passing through the road, but we have no choice because it is the shortest road connecting us to Ikorodu and it environs.
“The other alternative road is Epe-Ibeju Lekki expressway, which is very far to Ikorodu, ” he said.
A resident, Mrs Peju Akanji, said Epe people had gone to the Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa, to report the terrible state of the roads, but had not received any response.
She said the only people that visited the area were the local government officials who tried to construct drainage and used big stones to fill some bad portions of the road.
“The patches done by local government did not solve anything, rather it worsened it.
“We pray that this government will have the political will to repair the road for us, ” she said.
A commercial bus driver, Mr Tayo Adams, said many of his colleagues had fallen victim to hoodlums, who seized the opportunity of the bad road to rob them of money and valuables.
“Passengers are not spared, they are also robbed of their cash, telephones and other valuables,” he said.
Adams said the stones used by the local government to fill up the bad portions of the roads were also puncturing tyres of motorists.
“It is a pity that the government can allow a major link road that runs from Epe to Ikorodu to get so bad.
“The people who are living in these areas are suffering. We charged each passenger N300 from Epe garage to Ikorodu when the road was good, but now, we charge 800 per passenger.
“We spend more than what we earn on the repair of vehicles at the end of the of the day, ” he said.
