Community cries out as access roads worsen The residents of Emuren Remo in the Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State have called on the state government to fix the roads that lead to the community from Sagamu and Lagos ends. They said the roads, which had become almost impassable, was constructed by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in the 50s. They added that the roads and the community had suffered neglect over the years because successive administrations in the state had neglected them. According to the residents, they have been cut off from their neighbours in Sagamu, Igbololo, Ode Lemo, and Olomimeji, among others. The Chairman, Emuren Council of Elders, Mr. Bola Taiwo, noted that the people of the community had continued to suffer untold hardship due to the condition of the roads. “We are appealing to the government of Ogun State to construct our road. Emuren is not supposed to be treated the way successive governments had treated the town. “A former governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s administration, made attempts to rehabilitate the roads leading here from Sagamu, by piling gravels on some sections, but that did not help us. “Governor Ibikunle Amosun was here and he promised to rehabilitate the roads. It has remained a promise. “Emuren is one of the oldest towns in Remoland. And it occupies a strategic position, being in the boundary between Lagos and Ogun states.” Taiwo said when the roads were in good condition, it took the residents 15 minutes to get to town, adding that “it now takes almost an hour to get there.” He explained that he resided in Ibadan and each time he wanted to visit Emuren, he travelled through a tortous route, going through Ijebu Ode, Itokin, Imota before connecting Emuren. The residents, our correspondent gathered, paid high fares on transport. The few rickety cabs that ply the Sagamu-Emuren route charge each passenger N500, while okada operators charge between N800 and N1,000 for the same trip. Another resident, Salisu Rotimi, said each time it rained, the cab and okada operators would refuse to go on that route. He said, “Each time it rains, we don’t normally see any taxi or okada coming to this town because the roads would have further deteriorated. So they avoid coming here completely. “Anyone trying to leave the town or trying to return home from Sagamu or Imota would be stranded.” Rotimi said the community had experienced stunted growth because of the deplorable condition of its roads, stressing that no investor had found it an attractive area to build factories. The Commissioner for Works, Mr. Lekan Adegbite, said Emuren roads were one of the roads that the state government had plans to fix. He said, “Emuren roads are part of the roads the government has in its plans to fix.” Copyright PUNCH.All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH. Contact: editor@punchng ift.tt/1Apggvs ift.tt/1ylbKAe [[Boost your social presence with NAIRALIKES nairalikes ]] #nigeria x #nairalikes #vanguardng
Posted on: Fri, 05 Dec 2014 01:43:43 +0000