Residents of Ibeshe in Ikorodu, Lagos State, have made a passionate appeal to Hon. Babajimi Benson, member of the House of Representatives representing Ikorodu Federal Constituency, to urgently intervene in rehabilitating the dilapidated roads linking Idi-oro to Abule Oshorun.
Speaking with our correspondent during Tuesday morning’s heavy rainfall that left many roads impassable, the residents lamented that their daily lives, education, and businesses have continued to suffer due to the poor state of the roads.
A visibly distressed mother, who had to return her children home from school, expressed her frustration:
“I will have to take my children back home. They will not be able to go to school this morning. See the road. Everywhere is terrible. I know that Hon. Jimi Benson can fix these roads. Help us appeal to him to construct good roads for us. He has done many inner roads along Ibeshe, but this area is long overdue. The suffering is too much.”
Watch the video of the road
Others who spoke praised Benson’s contributions to infrastructural development within the constituency but pleaded for his attention to also extend to Idi-oro, AP Road, and Abule Oshorun. They insisted that rehabilitating these roads would significantly ease their hardship.
“There are major inner roads they should consider. AP road and Idi-oro to Abule Oshorun. If these roads are constructed, they will bring us great relief. We are appealing ooo,” another resident said.
Business owners equally decried the economic impact of the situation, noting that each time it rains, stagnant water takes over their shops, forcing some to remain closed. A trader who preferred anonymity revealed, “Many times, some shops are shut down because of stagnant water. If you enter our streets now, you will see water everywhere.”
The residents further complained that transport fares within the community have been hiked by commercial cyclists who exploit the poor road conditions. “We are at the mercy of these cyclists. If the roads are good, we may not even need them because our houses are not far from the bus stop,” one resident lamented.
While directing their primary plea to Rep. Jimi Benson, the residents also extended their call to Senator Tokunbo Abiru, representing Lagos East, urging him to join efforts in addressing the infrastructural deficit.
As the rainy season intensifies, the voices of Ibeshe residents reflect the growing frustration of communities across Lagos State yearning for better infrastructure, hoping their representatives will heed their call and bring lasting relief to their long-standing plight.
