By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Last week, the Lagos State government rendered account of its stewardship since 2007 to the people in Lagos West Senatorial District, with Alimosho Local Government Secretariat, Ikotun, as venue of the Town Hall meeting.

The forum, which was simultaneously held in other two senatorial districts of East and Central, was convened to commemorate the 1,900 in office of Governor Babatunde Fashola as well as interact with the grassroots people. The aim was to get first hand information on the needs of the people of the area.

However, it was complaints galore from Alimosho residents, who filed out in their large number to express their views after the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, who represented Fashola, along with other commissioners and aides, briefed them on the achievement so far and the government’s plans ahead before the termination date.

The central focus of the event was residents’ demands on the need for government to give more priority attention to major infrastructural development in the area, such as good road networks, functional drainage, erosion challenges, among others.

Mr. Kolawole Babatunde, a resident, stressed that  government should pay more attention in the improvement of road networks, provision of employment opportunities for youths as well as tackle the challenge of poverty in the state.

“Alimosho, one of the LGs in this district has the largest population in the state and as the local government that produce the largest votes we demand that they should be given consideration,” he added.

Also, Mrs. Toyin Bakare, expressed concern about the state of Ije-Ododo roads in Ijegun axis, saying that the only link road in the community is presently in a deplorable state.

“Though, Governor Fashola is trying but we don’t feel the impact of our council chairmen who just collect monthly allocation and will not do anything tangible with it. Each time we confront them they refer us to the state government, saying they lack adequate fund to execute most projects,” he said.

In his response, Bello assured the residents that government was committed to providing them dividends of democracy and urged them to exercise patience, saying that government would soon get to them as developmental work is being done in phases.

He reminded the teeming Alimosho residents of government’s model city plan which covers a period of 10 years, 2010-2020, to address infrastructure inadequacy and promote orderly physical development of the area within the specified period.

Bello said dredging is currently ongoing on the Ije-Ododo roads, adding that construction work will commence as soon as that is completed and the drainage properly fixed.

The commissioner explained that the governor rather than continue in the usually practice of inviting stakeholders every hundred days to a forum where he gives account of stewardship, decided to organise the forum to give room for a large audience and allow the people air their views.

He said, “During the election, we came to you to ask for your vote but this time it was necessary for us to come to you and render account of what we have been doing with your tax payers’ money in the last 100 days.

Also speaking , the Special Adviser to the Governor On Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ganiyu Johnson who gave a sector by sector account of the government achievements in the area, pointed out that the government had completed 110 capacity Maternal and Child Care complex in Alimosho, Amuwo- Odofin, Isolo and Ifako Ijaye.

He said these health care facilities is geared towards decongesting the state general hospital and address the challenges of maternal and child motility.