ROAD PROJECTS: OGUN LAWMAKERS SEEK EFFECTIVE SUPERVISION BY MINISTRY OF WORKS

OGUN ASSEMBLY PASSES RESOLUTION DEMANDING IMMEDIATE RESTORATION OF IRON/ CONCRETE ROAD MEDIANS, OTHERS

Ogun State House of Assembly has passed a resolution calling on the State Government to ensure the restoration of the State’s infrastructure, especially iron and concrete road median at Panseke, Itoku and Lafenwa as well as other areas that need to be reconstructed or rehabilitated.

This the Assembly noted was with a view to ensuring the safety, protection and comfort of motorists and other pedestrians.

The resolution titled: “Urgent Demand to reconstruct the iron and concrete road medians along State roads to stem incessant traffic congestion and accidents on our roads”, was passed shortly after the Majority Leader Yusuf Sheriff moved for the conversion of the motion into House resolution, seconded by the Minority Leader Lukman Adeleye and supported by the whole House through a voice vote.

Earlier while opening debate on the motion leading to the resolution, the sponsor, Hon. (Dr.) Babatunde Tella, representing Abeokuta North State Constituency said that the House noted with serious concern the safety, protection and comfort of the people of the State, particularly the continuous dilapidation of some State’s infrastructure in the city centers, which were grossly and negatively affecting roads users.

“Mr Speaker, it is importantly worthy of note that I first draw the attention of this Honourable House to the huge investments of the State additional pedestrian bridge at Panseke as well as the iron and concrete medians at Panseke, Lafenwa and other areas across the State”, he stated.

He recalled that the medians and pedestrian bridge in Panseke brought sanity to the hitherto traffic congestion and accidents around that corridor, before those facilities were destroyed.

Describing as unfortunate the destruction of the iron medians caused by constantly turning the place into urine toilet, while theft of the iron bars had created open ways for pedestrians, thereby rendering the pedestrian bridge completely abandoned and deteriorating.

” Mr Speaker, my dear colleagues, the resultant effects of this ugly situation is the return of unprecedented traffic congestion in that corridor, incessant accidents, continuous damage to the unused pedestrian bridge and waste of time and resources of road users, culminating in erosion of State resources, if not checked.

Consequent upon the above, this motion urgently requests for a timely and swift intervention of the State Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Environment to reconstruct the median and pedestrian bridge, maintain healthy environment in the adjoining market,  residential and commercial areas and ensure strict compliance to the usage of the facility and safety of road users which are very important to the good image of our dear State.

Mr. Speaker, My Honourable Colleagues, I need to quickly add here that the damages to those facilities and in other areas like Lafenwa and Itoku have depleted the aesthetics standards of the State capital, hence there is need for restoration, even before the rainy season is fully here.

Finally, Mr Speaker and Progressive Colleagues, I therefore pray this Honourable House to call on Mr Governor to give a marching order to the various Ministries mentioned above, and any other Government departments and agencies relevant to the restoration of the State’s Infrastructure in Panseke and other areas that are needed to be reconstructed or rehabilitated, to move to site and get the works done within stipulated time”, he submitted.

The lawmakers sought the need for the deployment of environmental officials and the introduction of fines and penalties to environmental offenders, so as to serve as deterrent to other road users, thereby protecting the road infrastructure.

Contributing, Hon. Fola Salami appealed for the immediate reconstruction of Hercules road, which he noted had almost been cut off from other communities in his Ifo 2 State Constituency.

Other lawmakers including Honourables Adegoke Adeyanju, Ayodele Wasiu and Lukmon Atobatele demanded an immediate rehabilitation of decapitated roads and bridges across the State.