AT the anniversary of the 1100th day in office of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos, diplomats who were part of the occasion brought up the deplorable condition of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, in Ikeja, Lagos.

We have often drawn attention to this road to no avail.

The MMIA must rank among the worst maintained international airports in the world. Its facilities are broken down but the numerous aviation agencies ignore them. Power failure is frequent, and a recent instance shut down all activities in the airport for over four hours. The conditions outside the airport are even worse.

Most federal roads in Lagos are in disrepair, but the MMIA Road that links the nation’s number one airport is an eyesore. How the central importance of this road to the economy and the image of the nation escapes the attention of government beats the imagination.

The President, governors, ministers, top departmental directors of the various ministries use this road, when they are returning to the country or visiting Lagos where they have liaison offices. Yet, they fail to notice the poor state of this road.

The MMIA Road to Apapa and through Oshodi to the Lagos Island is almost in a permanent traffic snarl occasioned by its many potholes. The road is also narrow and has only two lanes, though there is enough space to widen it to six lanes. The situation is compounded at night. Long stretches of the road are in complete darkness. When it rains, the hold-up is suffocating and hoodlums who hide in nearby bushes waylay those whose vehicles break down.

What does a first time visitor to Nigeria think about our country when caught up on this road at night? Those shouting themselves hoarse about re-branding Nigeria do not seem to notice simple things they need to do.

One particular problem that motorists have resigned themselves to is the fraud of paying N100 toll where the upgraded road from Ikeja terminates at the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, NAHCO. The logic of the toll fees is that the road, which was reconstructed about 10 years ago on a build, operate and transfer model, would facilitate motorists.

However, the condition of the MMIA Road has completely negated this because as soon as one exits the tollgate en route Lagos, one is bogged down by the traffic snarl the bad airport road causes.

The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency was noticed on this road, with bulldozers moving earth. There was hope that at last government had decided to act. No sooner did FERMA’s activities start than they suddenly stopped, leaving the road in a muddy mess that the rains have worsened.

When the diplomats complained to Governor Fashola, he told them the responsibility was the Federal Government’s.

In case the Federal Government has forgotten this road, we remind it again about the road and the current disgrace it has become.