RESIDENTS, COMMUTERS GROAN AS RAIN CAUSES DEEP DITCH ON LASU / ISHERI ROAD

By NBF News

Commuters plying the Lagos State University (LASU)/Isheri Road had hectic time yesterday getting to their offices and business areas, following a chaotic traffic caused by ditch on the middle of the yet-to-be commissioned road.

The road is being constructed by a Chinese firm, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

The deep hole, which is between Village and Agboroko bus-stops, caused by the early Sunday morning rainfall, which started at about 5 a.m and lasted several hours, forced drivers coming from Iyana-Iba end of the road to drive against traffic, thereby, causing congestion.

People were forced to trek long distances to their destinations, while commercial motorcycles seized the opportunity to make brisk business. They charged between N150 and N200, from Iba junction to Iyana-Iba, which on a normal day cost between N80 and N100.

Most of the road users were taken unawares as the heavy rain kept them off the affected road the previous day.

When Daily Sun visited the area, some concerned residents were seen controlling traffic, which had already stretched from the affected spot to, as far as the bridge near Obadore.

Some of the people who spoke to Daily Sun expressed surprise that the road was washed away even when it has not been commissioned.

Mr. Bakare Fadahunsi, who spoke to the reporter, regretted that the road could become a problem now, even when the company handling the construction work is still on site.

He, however, appealed to Governor Babatunde Fashola to personally inspect the road, to ascertain its quality before paying the contractor.

Mrs. Uchechi Mbachu, on her part wondered why a German firm, Julius Berger was not given the contract.

She said: 'Julius Berger is very good in road construction. May be, the Lagos State government was trying to save cost.' She also appealed to Fashola to make the street light on the LASU/Isheri road to start functioning, adding that it would help to ward off criminals at nights.

Similarly, not less than 30 houses were submerged at Community Road, Ijegun, Lagos.

Investigation revealed that the rainfall rendered many residents homeless.

Houses and cars in Irepodun Street in the area were submerged even as residents made efforts to save their property.

Sade Balogun, a resident whose car was submerged, said he came out to drive the car to the church and discovered the car was in the flood.

Mr. Christian Nweji, a businessman said the flood was caused by blocked drains, while Mrs. Felicia Aroh said she had lost property worth over N300, 000, to the flood.

'I have been trying to save some of the goods in my shop by sweeping out the water that filled my shop,' she said.