Commuters stranded as NLC, residents protest state of Lagos-Abeokuta highway

Commuters were on Wednesday stranded as the Ogun State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as well as residents of Sango Ota took to the street to protest the poor condition of roads in the area.

The protesters gave the Federal and Ogun State governments a 21-day ultimatum to fix the Lagos-Abeokuta highway.

They also threatened to shut down the entire State by leading a mass protest, should the governments fail to fix the road at the expiration of the 21 days ultimatum.

Members of the NLC and those of Ota Progressive Youth Initiative thronged the highway, expressing their grievances over the poor condition of the road.

Armed with placards bearing inscriptions like: “Repair our road with immediate effect or face the wrath of the masses”, “Our roads are death traps,” “Fix our roads, No good roads, No payment of tax”, “Industries in Ota are relocating and closing down due to bad roads” among others, they shutdown highway from Joju bus stop, leaving dozens of road users stranded.

The protest, the second in recent times, is coming in spite of assurances from the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and Governor Dapo Abiodun that construction works would soon commence on the road.

Speaking, the Chairman of Ogun NLC, Bankole Emmanuel, lamented that in spite of Gov Abiodun and Fashola’s on-the-spot assessment visits to the road, nothing had been done.

Bankole said, “A few weeks back, the Governor and the Minister were here, telling us that they will commence the reconstruction of the road. We are surprised that since when they came, not even a single tipper of gravel has been put on the road.

“This implies that they can’t do anything, they are just fooling us, they don’t have any plan for us. At this juncture, we need to need to withdraw our destiny from them.”

Bankole lambasted politicians, saying “they don’t have any good plan for us.”

The NLC boss recalled that Ogun people voted for the All Progressives Congress, both at national and state levels for peace to reign in the nation, regretting that “unfortunately it continues getting worst day by day.”

“If they want to defend themselves, they will start saying one is Federal Government road, the other is State Government road. Did they tell us this before the election?

“We give them 21 days ultimatum to start working on it or else, we will shut down the whole of Ogun State while everyone seat at home since they are not ready for us.

“Enough of this system of fooling, they know how to go to nooks and crannies during campaigns but, when roads are bad, they wouldn’t go there.

“Last time, they were saying they were not aware that the roads are bad as this. Since when they were aware, what have they done positively?

“We need them to know our minds. If we keep quiet, they wouldn’t do anything and that is why I’m calling on all citizens to let’s arise and face this struggle,” Bankole submitted.

Commuters stranded as NLC, residents protest state of Lagos-Abeokuta highway