>
By Taiwo Oluwadare
Residents and business operators, Alao-Akala Way, Okebadan Estate in Lagelu local government, Ibadan, Oyo state, last Friday commenced the rehabilitation of a 3km road in the area.
They are now appealing to both local and state government to assist in effort to complete the road project.
They said they had to take responsibility for the road because it had become unpassable to residents.
The Zonal Chairman for Oniyeye Residents Association, Engr. Adeleke Kayode who was part ofthe team working on the road, said after efforts to get government’s attention failed, residents decided to put resources together to repair the road hoping that when the government see their seriousness, they will help to complete the road.
His words: “We have informed Lagelu local government but the chairman complained of paucity of fund to support us. Although he told us to go ahead with the project that he will support us when fund is available. When we were doing the stone-base, he gave us the graders and still promise to give stone-base and we are expecting.
“To kickstart the project, we started with six trucks of asphalts. Before now, we have laid 16 trucks of stone base and as you can see, there are graders, MC1 , Bitumen and other materials are on ground. The resident engineers are on ground to make direct labour to save cost. Also, we make everything transparent as we pay directly from our director to companies’ account to purchase all materials needed for the construction. So, nobody is holding cash”.
Engr. Adeleke added that they had requested a sum of N10million from Lagelu local government for the 3km road which needs a total of N29m to be completed while he said the association has also written to the state government and the reply was to provide the fund when it is available. He said though past governments have been promising without fulfilling but they hope the government of the day will not disappoint them.
He said presently, they are starting with six trucks of asphalt which covers about 300m length of the road with width of 8.5m which has gulped over N6m.
Engr. Adeleke added that apart from the fact that the road serves the residents, it is a link road for people coming from Akobo and going to Wofun end to Monatan and Olodo area of the ancient city.
He said, “I remember whenever former governor Alao Akala wanted to travel to Ogbomosho, his hometown, he used to travel through this road to avoid traffic logjam.
“Also, the government has awarded road project from Akobo to Olorunda end. This road will be busier because there will be diversion which will make people come through this road.
“Due to this bad road in the past, we have had security issues where there were reports of hijacking of cars and that is one of the reasons we felt we should start this project earnest”, he said.
Engr. Adeleke also informed that the concern of the residents and business owners in the area is not limited to road but other infrastructures like electricity, good security, street light and others.
According to him, they have bought three transformers without government support or any other donor. He said, “we have started building police post around palace bus-Stop which has almost reached completion. We are doing these to assist government because we know there are financial challenges before government of the day and we want them to complement our effort”, he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman working committee in the area, Engr. Adekola Sulaimon said before now, residents did repairs which did not last.
He said,”This time we want to make a durable construction with quality materials that will make the road more durable. That is why we first applied the stone-base, adequate thickness of asphalts to make it last at least for 5 to 10 years”.
He added: “We are also putting up drainages to make the road last. Already, we have spent over N7m and what we calculated to be our total cost on the whole road length is between N29m and N30m due to market variables”.