Residents of Orije Apakin Community Development Association along the Sagamu-Benin Expressway in Sagamu, Ogun State, are asking the government to build a pedestrian bridge and put speed breakers at a busy junction. They are worried about accidents that keep happening, especially involving pedestrians.
The residents noted that the junction in front of Celplas Company has become very risky due to fast-moving vehicles and no safe place to cross. They claim that many people have died or been seriously injured at this spot.
Gabriel Oluwasola, a resident, spoke with PUNCH Metro on Sunday. He said that serious accidents happen almost every week, taking lives and causing serious injuries to others.
"There is a particular section of the Sagamu-Benin Expressway, in front of Celplas Company, where serious road accidents occur almost every week. Sadly, many of these accidents have resulted in loss of life, while several workers and other road users have sustained severe injuries, leaving some permanently disabled," he said.
Oluwasola added that the community wants a long-lasting solution to prevent more deaths. He believes a pedestrian bridge would give a safer way for workers and residents to cross the road.
"Our major concern is to see a lasting solution put in place before more lives are lost. We believe that constructing a pedestrian bridge at that location would go a long way towards preventing these avoidable accidents and saving lives. With the right media attention, something meaningful can be done about this situation," he said.
Another resident, Ayeni Kehinde, pointed out that the junction is particularly dangerous because of heavy traffic and the speed of vehicles on the expressway. He explained that construction work is making traffic worse, with some drivers going against the flow.
"The section in front of Celplas Company, after the Area Command, towards Ijebu-Ode, is extremely busy. Because of ongoing construction, some vehicles heading towards Lagos drive against the flow of traffic, while those travelling from Sagamu towards Ijebu-Ode also use the road in the same direction. Some drivers are not careful enough, and many vehicles travel at high speed. Because it is a major road, applying the brakes can be difficult. A lot of accidents have happened there. Last month, about two people died. I know about some of the incidents because my house is very close to the expressway," he said.
Kehinde also mentioned that the narrow concrete barrier between the two sides of the road does not protect pedestrians crossing. He said that it is too small for people to stand safely while waiting to cross.
"The barrier separating the two sides of the road is too narrow. Vehicles can drive very close to it, and when people cross from the other side, there is no proper place for them to stand apart from that tiny divider. You cannot stand firmly on it to look in both directions before crossing. It is too narrow to provide a safe waiting point for pedestrians," he said.
Another resident, Moses Damilare, called on the government to act. He said they have been reaching out for help but have not seen any real changes.
"We have been crying out for help from the government. We want them to make a pedestrian bridge easily accessible to people so that they can cross safely and reduce the danger on the road," he said.
Damilare shared his experience of rescuing a pedestrian who was hit by a car. He helped take the person to the hospital, but sadly the victim later died. He said three people died in a month due to similar accidents.
"I had to call people around and help rescue the person to the hospital, but the victim later died. Another person also died, while a third victim survived. Within a month, three people died," he said.
Damilare also noted that many workers at Celplas Company and residents from nearby areas frequently cross the expressway, making it urgent for the government to step in.
He added that there was an incident where a pedestrian was hit and left on the road for so long that they began to decompose.
The Chairman of Harmony Joy CDA, Olaposi Misinu, acknowledged the government's efforts in building the road, saying it has improved movement in and out of the community. But he felt that the safety of pedestrians, especially workers and residents, was not properly considered.
"We really appreciate the government for constructing the road because it has improved mobility into and out of our community. But the major problem is that our community has become a major route for workers at the company. The contractor handling the project did not take into consideration the movement of people working there. The focus seemed to be on constructing the road, leaving people to fend for themselves. When workers are moving in and out of a place like that, the road becomes dangerous for people living around it," he said.
Misinu urged the government to put in place immediate safety measures, like speed breakers and warning signs at the junction to prevent more accidents.
"If they cannot construct an overhead bridge now because of the space it would require, they should install speed breakers before the junction and put up signs warning motorists that people work and move around the area. This will encourage drivers to slow down before reaching the junction. We need the government to do something to make movement safer for everyone. We would be grateful if this could be addressed, especially as we appreciate the government for constructing the road," he said.
When contacted on Sunday, Babatunde Akinbiyi, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, said they will keep educating road users through seminars and other programmes to reduce road crashes.
He mentioned that they also use radio, television and social media to inform motorists and pedestrians while enforcing traffic rules and working with relevant groups.
"What we do as an agency of government charged with the administration and control of road traffic matters is a great deal of sensitisation, education, and enlightenment for road users through seminars or workshops at garages and parks. They may also invite us to come and lecture them; we do that. In our own little way, we have programmes we run on the radio, TV, and even via our social media handles to further educate and enlighten our people. What we also do is a great deal of enforcement. We’ll not relent in what we do as an agency; if not via enlightenment, we do it via enforcement, and we also engage most of the stakeholders like ACOMORON, NURTW," he said.
Akinbiyi noted that construction is still ongoing along the expressway and that drivers should keep to a speed limit of 50 kilometres per hour in the construction zone. He expressed disappointment that many drivers do not follow this limit, which raises the chances of accidents.
"Moreover, that axis you mentioned is still a construction area; construction is still ongoing, and unfortunately most of us don’t obey the speed limit. Within a construction zone, you cannot go beyond 50 km/h, but you see people still driving beyond 50km and whenever there are issues there, it leads to something else. It’s an unfortunate situation, but we’ll continue to do what we need to do to protect lives and property," he added.
Also speaking with PUNCH Metro on Sunday, Adeleye Olajide, the acting Controller of the Federal Ministry of Works in Ogun State, said that building a pedestrian bridge along the expressway is not part of the current road project.
"As of now, it is not in our scope of work," he said.
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