Residents along the Lagos-Abeokuta Motorway , On Wednesday, staged protests to call for the quick repair of a few road segments.
The demonstrators, led by human rights advocates working under the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights’ umbrella, bemoaned the terrible condition of the road and the government’s disregard for it. The road collapse, they further said, had resulted in several accidents that had left people injured or dead.
However, because the demonstrators had blocked the Meiran end of the road, traffic was backed up and cars were left stranded.
According to Alex Omotehinse, President of the Centre for Human and Socio-Economic Rights, there has been a rise in road casualties in recent weeks.
Omotehinse demanded that the state government grade the road in the interim before starting a complete repair, even as he accused the security personnel of extorting drivers who travel one way by exploiting its worse sections.
He said, “Plying one way is a crime in Lagos State and some security agencies are using that opportunity to exploit road users. The road also destroys people’s cars. There were several times that containers fell on this road. Just few days ago, a fuel tanker fell and claimed the life of a young man. What we are demanding is that the government should grade the road if they cannot repair it for now. This advocacy is a warning signal to the government. We can approach court and protest at the state and National Assembly.
“We also want Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to caution the man in charge of the state task force. The men of the task force apprehend those who are making use of the other lane. They also exploit them and collect huge amounts of money from them. They should give consideration to road users for now to avoid this bad road and use the one-way now and to give us traffic officers who can control the road users so that there will be no room for abuse. Before the election, the Ogun State governor graded Toll gate to Sango. Sanwo-Olu can do the same.”
Some victims of road accidents in the community also joined the protest as they expressed their support for the development.
The state Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, said the state government did not abandon the area.
He said, “It is not as if the state government is neglecting the area but because of the massive financial implication. I remember that Mr. Governor has been making a case for that road and he has got the commitment from the Federal Ministry of Works that they are going to fix it. We want to urge them to be more patient.”
