Bad Road Wrecks Lives and Businesses in Lagos Community

Residents of areas along the Ginti Junction, Igbelaara Road in the Igbogbo-Baiyeku Local Council Development Area of Lagos State are frustrated. They say the long neglect of the road has disrupted transport, harmed businesses, and pushed some to move away.

The road, which starts at Ginti Bus Stop, also known as Bola Ahmed Tinubu Way, connects the Ijede Road area through Ijoko Estate to Igbelaara.

Locals believe fixing the road, which is less than three kilometers long, would make it easier to get around and link directly to the Ogolonto bypass on Ikorodu Road.

On Saturday, a resident named Adeyemi Akinsemoyin spoke with PUNCH Metro. He called the road a key route that could reduce traffic and improve transport once repaired.

“Commuters will no longer need to go through the garage. They can travel from Ginti Road to Igbelaara then to Igbogbo, and from Igbogbo to Ogolonto.

“It is a very important road. I believe the master plan is for BRT buses to operate along this route when the road is completed. This will ease the pressure on the Ikorodu Bus Stop roundabout, as people will no longer need to go there to access other routes,” he said.

Akinsemoyin also mentioned that the road could serve as an alternative for travelers entering Lagos from outside through Ogolonto towards Imota. He pointed out that the road has been bad for over ten years. It was already in poor shape when he moved to the community eight years ago.

“The road was already in this condition when I moved here. People had been complaining about it even before I arrived. It has been very, very bad,” he said.

Another resident, Rachael Udoh, worried that the road could become impassable if the government does not act before the next rainy season.

“We pray that next year will not meet the road in this condition because it will become unbearable and may no longer be motorable,” she said.

Udoh added that a nearby filling station has helped commuters get through part of the road. Operators have used broken blocks and large concrete pieces to fill some sections.

“If not for the filling station near Ginti Bus Stop, I do not think commuters and residents who use this road would still be able to pass through it,” she said.

Adediran Owolabi, another resident, said the bad road has raised transport costs and vehicle repair bills. It has also scared commercial transport operators from servicing the area.

“For a distance of about three kilometers, a motorcycle ride can cost between N800 and N1,000, especially when you start from this end of the road. The situation becomes worse during the rainy season,” he said.

Owolabi added that some parts of the main road are unusable, forcing commuters to take other streets. Commercial tricycles, known as Keke, have stopped operating on the road, leaving residents dependent on motorcycles, called Okada.

“Vehicle owners have also been complaining bitterly because of how much they spend on vehicle repairs and mechanics due to the bad road.

“We are appealing to the government to come to our aid. We are spending exorbitantly on transportation and depend mainly on Okada,” he said.

Owolabi noted that motorcycle fares within the community have increased. Riders now charge at least N500 for short trips that used to cost less.

“Even within this community, you can hardly find an Okada ride for N300 anymore. Riders charge at least N500 for a short journey, and that is because of the condition of the road. We understand that they also spend a lot of money repairing their motorcycles,” he said.

He warned that the road's dry state over the last few days makes it look easier to use. But during the rainy season, it becomes very hard to move.

The bad road has also hurt small businesses. Traders said they struggle to get goods delivered to and from the area. A food seller named Keji said delivery operators are hesitant to come in, forcing business owners to go to bus stops or garages to get their supplies.

“Delivery services that we use to facilitate our businesses are also refusing to come into the area. When we have goods to deliver outside the community, they tell us they cannot come in. We then have to meet them at the bus stop or go to the garage to collect the items,” she said.

Ayodele Olayinka, the General Secretary of the Ginti Central Community Development Association, known as Iyaniwura, said the road has been bad for more than 20 years. Olayinka, who has lived in the community for over 30 years, said they have tried reaching out to different administrations without success.

“The road has been in that condition for more than 20 years. I have been living in this community for over 30 years now. We have written several letters to the government, including members of the House of Representatives,” he said.

He recalled that former Governor Babatunde Fashola visited to assess the road during his time and promised to fix it, but nothing happened after he left office.

“Since then, successive governments have neglected this road,” Olayinka added.

He explained that moving around becomes especially tough during the rainy season, with flooding and mud blocking paths and sometimes leaving residents stuck at home.

“Residents are sometimes stuck in their houses once the rain begins. Some homeowners and tenants have also moved out of the community. All we need is government intervention,” he said.

Olayinka mentioned that the association has also reached out to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, for help with the stretch from Ginti Junction towards Igbe-Lara.

He said the bad road has hurt businesses and raised concerns about the safety of schoolchildren.

“Business activities have been greatly affected. What about schoolchildren? We need urgent intervention,” he said.

Olayinka encouraged residents to put aside religious and political differences and unite to demand the road's repair.

“If our residents can channel their energy towards addressing the deplorable road conditions along the stretch from Ginti Junction inward to Igbelaara Junction, which is less than three kilometers long, it would be much better. Instead, they are always fighting over religion and defending political parties of their choice,” he said.

Olayinka expressed disappointment that many residents cannot easily access other parts of the community or use their cars due to the road's state.

He questioned why the problem has not been solved for so long and warned that residents would remember this when it is time to vote.

“Anyway, no problem. We shall meet at the polling booths on election days,” he said.

On Sunday, PUNCH Metro reached out to the spokesperson for the Lagos State Ministry of Works, Adeshina Odunuga. He had not responded to calls or messages sent on Saturday.