Ifedola Estate residents frustrated over stalled drainage project and bad roads

Residents of Ifedola Estate in Meiran-Ilewe, Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, are upset about the delay in finishing a drainage project in their community.

They told PUNCH Metro that this delay has made the roads worse, especially during the rainy season, making it hard for people to move around.

Our reporter visited the area on Sunday and found out that the drainage project started over three years ago but is still not completed.

Residents say the long construction period has left many roads in bad shape. Construction materials and dug-up sections of the roads have made movement even more difficult.

A resident, Kenny Bamgbose, shared how the situation is affecting everyone, especially students, who find it tough to get through the area when it rains.

He said, “The government needs to hasten this work and ensure it is completed very quickly. It should not be dragged into next year. Students have suffered on this route, especially when it rains. The entire community also suffers because you cannot use your vehicle properly.

“This is a project that started about four years ago. The government needs to properly monitor the contractor and ensure that the project is delivered, not just completed anyhow, but done to a good standard.”

Bamgbose pointed out that several roads linking the estate, like Shupobare Street, Unity Valley, and Tunde Oginni Crescent, also need attention from the government.

He mentioned that other projects are happening in the area, such as rebuilding a secondary school on Baale Street and setting up a technical college. But he wants the government to fix the roads too.

He added, “People need to feel the presence of government in this community. I believe the Lagos State Government can do it, but it must ensure that the contractors carry out quality work, considering the safety of lives and property.

“Rain is coming, and we cannot wait. The government needs to hasten the project and deliver it on time.”

The Chairman of Ifedola Meiran Community Development Area, Oluwaseyi Ogunbo, also spoke about the drainage project. He said it has been ongoing for more than three years, even though they were told it would take 12 months.

Ogunbo explained that the first contractor had made good progress before the project was given to another contractor.

He said, “When the project started, we were told by the project board that the duration was 12 months. But since then, the project has been dragging.

“The contractor who started it initially was doing a fantastic job. The work was solid, and residents were happy with the progress. But along the line, the project was withdrawn from him and given to another contractor. We had no problem with that, provided the project would be completed.

“But since then, the work has been dragging. They will come, do a little work and disappear. We have to write, call and make several efforts before they return to the site.”

Ogunbo mentioned that the current contractor has dug up parts of the roads and left piles of laterite and sand, making it hard for vehicles to pass.

He pointed out that some roads that used to allow two vehicles to pass at the same time have become narrower because of the leftover construction materials.

He said the community has even started doing some minor repairs on their own to make movement easier.

Ogunbo noted that the first contractor had made sure parts of the drainage were finished as they dug, including providing access for residents and drivers.

He added that the disruptions have affected schools in the area, with some teachers unable to drive into their school because of the bad roads.

“The teachers of those schools can’t bring in their cars. They have to park their cars far away instead of bringing them into the school premises,” he said.

During the visit, our reporter noticed that work had slightly started again at the construction site. A business owner in the community, Banji Akanni, confirmed that the contractors returned but complained about the lower quality of work.

He also said that slabs taken from the entrances of homes during the initial work have not been returned as promised.

He said, “The quality of the work they do now has reduced compared to what they did when they started. The contractors also removed the slabs at the entrance of our houses, and they promised to return them but, as we speak, they have refused to do so.

“When we approached them and reminded them, they said it was not part of their work and that they would not return it.”

Another resident, who only gave his name as Taiwo, said the bad state of Baale Street and poor drainage have become big problems for residents, especially since there are several secondary schools in the area.

“This is Baale Street, adjacent to Unity Valley, where we have three government secondary schools. You can imagine the number of students, teachers, parents and other residents who use this road every day.

“They go through a harrowing experience while using the road. Some of the students often get messed up by the muddy road when it rains.

“The road and drainage are major challenges here. The government needs to intervene and ensure that the road and drainage are properly fixed because the situation affects everyone in the community, especially the students,” he said.

Taiwo called on the state government to keep a close watch on the project and make sure it is finished properly, saying the residents have waited long enough.

When we tried to contact the state Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, he was unavailable. A text message sent to him had not been answered by the time we put this report together.