Mammoth crowd trooped out to receive Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Monday at the commissioning of 21 roads and two bridges of 27.4 kilometre in Alimosho Local Government.
The roads, which connect Lagos with Ogun State from Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, were fitted with walkways, drainage system, laybys, service ducts, lane marking and street lights, among others.
Governor Ambode, who commissioned the projects amidst celebration by elated residents in four different locations, said the delivery of the infrastructure was part of the continuous bid to transform the Alimosho federal constituency and build new economy around the axis. He pledged to develop other communities within the axis.
“This is what is called dividend of democracyl we are making this Alimosho axis economically viable and also liveable. We don’t need to travel anywhere to earn a living. By opening up the whole network stretching 27.4km, we have brought economy back to this place. With the walkways, street lights, these communities are becoming safer and there is more to do. By expanding the axis here, you can travel without necessarily going to the main street and go to Ojo or Badagry, that’s what your vote was for and that’s why we are returning back here, all the promises that we made and we are keeping them,” the governor said.
Governor Ambode lauded the National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for activating the transformation of Alimosho when he was Governor of the State with the construction of LASU-Iba Road, and former Governor Babatunde Fashola for taking the project up to Ipaja.
He said: “What we are doing today is so historic and of great importance that we must send the message rightly so that people can understand why we are celebrating on Easter Mondaythe change in the life of our people which the resurrection of Christ symbolizes.
“First, we salute all our political leaders starting with Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for starting the vision of making Alimosho a place of pride with the construction of LASU-Iba Road such that when you move from Badagry and you enter into LASU-Iba Road up to Igando, Egbe and so on, you have easy transportation and easy life. My predecessor, Governor Raji Fashola took it up to Ipaja all in a bid to build a new economy in this particular axis.
“We have taken it from Ipaja to Ayobo, Command Secondary School, Gate, Abesan, Aboru Bridge and roads. What we are doing today is momentous as we are connecting over 60 communities together and we are happy to do this.”
Enumerating the significance of the projects, Governor Ambode said the roads were veritable alternative routes to decongest traffic from the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, and could be used to access Ipaja up to Badagry without using the expressway.
“It is an alternative route; we don’t need to congest ourselves on the Lagos-Abeokuta express when you drive from Gateway Hotel and start driving through Ojokoro, Ipaja and so on. Now, you can take this alternative route and go all the way to Ipaja and Badagry without having anything to do with the expressway,” the Governor said.
He said that it was the taxpayers that made it possible for his administration to improve on the economy and solve traffic challenges in the axis.
“The idea of the project is to open up all our sub-urban communities, reduce traffic congestion and then create better life for the people,” Governor Ambode said.
Responding to request for more infrastructural projects in Alimosho, the Governor said as part of the continuation of the development of the axis, the State Government will Dredge Ilo River, rehabilitate Adekoya Road, Makinde Road, Subaru Oje Road, Old Ota Road and Ishefun-Ijan Road which will be connected to a Jetty through which people can take a boat ride to connect Lagos Marina in twenty minutes.
He also said that a modern Bus Terminal and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor would soon be constructed in the axis.
Besides, Governor Ambode urged residents of the State to go out to register and collect their Permanent Voters Cards to be able to exercise their franchise come next political dispensation.