BY STEPHEN SIMON
The construction of the popular ‘Toll Gate’ Bridge linking Babs Animashaun Street in Surulere Local Government Council to Orile Iganmu and environs in Coker- Aguda LCDA has been abandoned for upward of 9 months.
The bridge which serves as a major artery linking motorists plying through Surulere to Orile and into Coker, Mile 2 and Festac Town had been demolished due to concerns about its durability and the constant floods from the Babs Animashaun canal especially during the rainy season. After the demolition, the construction of another bridge commenced in earnest but to the disappointment of motorists and residents, the project has been stalled without anyone able to say when the project would restart and the bridge opened to motorists.
Our correspondent who spoke to residents of the area report anger, disillusionment and frustration at the attitude of the Government. A resident who identified as Femi Musbau lamented the hardship which the abandoned bridge had caused them. He stated that with 2027 by the corner, politicians would as usual come to solicit for their votes with all manner of promises. He added that judging from the feelings of the residents, an underground campaign was already on to determine who to vote for as a bloc in the coming elections emphasizing that the condition of the bridge would be a factor in the coming days.
A motorist Mr Ajakaiye, who was caught up in the heavy traffic on Babs Animashaun Street leading to Doyin also decried the abandonment of the bridge noting that the traffic was mainly because the bridge was impassable. He informed our correspondent that being a frequent motorist on the road, such traffic logjam would not happen if the bridge was open.
When our correspondent put a call through to the Special Adviser on works to the Executive Chairman of Coker-Aguda LCDA, he promised to return our inquiries but never did.
In a related development, a community based Organization Surulere Awake (SA) has begun to take stock of projects abandoned in the LCDAs of the old Surulere comprising Surulere LGA, Itire-Ikate LCDA and Coker-Aguda LCDA. Speaking to our correspondent on the sidelines of their sensitization tour with the theme, ‘Awake for Progress’, the Convener of the organization Mr Bayo Osoba noted that SA was out to engender and assure good governance at the grassroots giving commendation where necessary and calling out where applicable. He further added that before the end of the third quarter of the year, they would make public their assessment of the various councils running up to the elections. WATCH
