By Monsur  Olowoopejo

THE peace of Igbogbo_Bayeku Local Council Development Area, LCDA, was last week shattered, as residents took on the governor, Batunde Fashola and  political office holders from the area over the poor state of infrastructure in the council.

The confrontation which had been brewing for long came to the peak last Tuesday during the commissioning of the Ikorodu skid gas plant in Ginti, Ikorodu.

At the commencement of the commissioning, the residents defied the scotching sun to embark on a protest to demand for explanation from the  governor who was billed to perform the ceremony, why infrastructure in the council were in such terrible state.

Speaking to Vanguard, the residents alleged that the state government, council chairman and other political office holders representing the council had done nothing to improve their living standard.

*Protesters

Some of the projects complained about by the protesters were: the Bola Tinubu road and the Primary Health Centre, PHC, the Igbogbo library tagged ‘reading room’ and the Ewu-Elepe road amongst others. They lamented that  the Igbogbo library, has been taken over by weeds and become home to reptiles.

Home to reptiles

Mrs. Adetayo Ogundare told Vanguard, that; “This place ( reading room), has become home to reptiles. Just last week, one of the hunters in the community killed a big snake there. “This has impeded our children from having a better place to read frequently. You can also see the PHC. It has also been taken by weeds except for the path to the structure.”

Mr. Victor Adeyemi, another resident said; “Look at this road, Ewu-Elepe road, which is a major road that helps decongest traffic on the ever busy Ikorodu road, is bad.

“It was because of today’s commissioning that  the state government through the State Public Works Corporation, LSPWC, quickly patched some portion of the road to aid easy vehicular movement. Whenever it rains, our children will have to stay indoors because the road becomes impassable.”

Another resident, Mrs Olabimpe Adekoya said; “We are tired of empty promises. About three years ago, Abike Dabiri promised that she will discuss with the Governor Fashola and the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, to aid the prompt award of this Ewu_Elepe road, to  contractor. But till today, nothing has been  done. “The population of the council is  increasing daily. But with no infrastructure to complement it. “If this road (Ewu Elepe) is reconstructed, it will serve as the link road for anyone going to Ipakodo and other adjourning communities. And it will decongest the traffic on Ikorodu road.

Responding, Mrs. Abike Dabiri assured the residents that the infrastructure in the council will be upgraded, adding; “Key public infrastructure in the area have been captured in the 2014 budget .”

Also reacting, the LCDA chairman, Hon Adegbenga Basanya said that a larger percent of the projects complained about were state owned, stating categorically that the Bola Ahmed Tinubu road falls under the purview of the state government and not the council.