File: Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu
The Lagos State Government has begun construction of the 670-metre Adebayo-Akinade Road in Igbogbo-Baiyeku Local Council Development Area.
The project was flagged off on behalf of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu by his Special Adviser on Rural Development, Nurudeen Agbaje, on Wednesday.
Agbaje said the road project was part of the administration’s broader intervention in rural communities, noting that infrastructure development remained critical to reducing the pressure that drives rural residents towards urban centres.
He said the government’s approach was to use infrastructure to open up communities and create conditions for economic activities to thrive outside major urban centres.
Agbaje also noted that the Adebayo-Akinade project followed the recent approval of six other road projects in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area and Ifelodun LCDA.
He urged residents and community stakeholders to protect the construction environment and avoid actions that could obstruct the contractor, while charging the contractor to complete the project within the stipulated timeframe and to the required standard.
The intervention was welcomed by stakeholders in the area, who linked the road project to the broader transformation of Ikorodu and its surrounding communities.
A member representing Ikorodu Constituency II, Aro Moshood, commended the governor for what he described as an inclusive approach to development, particularly the effort to improve infrastructure in communities previously regarded as rural.
Moshood said the administration had approved more than seven critical road projects in Ikorodu over the past seven years, arguing that the projects had created economic opportunities for residents and helped make rural communities less dependent on urban centres.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Kikelomo Bolarinwa, also commended the administration for sustaining its rural infrastructure programme.
She said the provision of roads and other social amenities had helped improve economic activities and living conditions in rural communities.
The Chairman of Igbogbo-Baiyeku LCDA, Olalekan Aroyewun, said the latest project further demonstrated the administration’s investment in the Ikorodu Division.
Aroyewun said the cumulative effect of the development projects was making Ikorodu increasingly attractive to residents and investors. He also appealed to residents to protect the project and ensure that activities within the community did not delay its completion.
The Chairman of Odera Community Development Association, Prof Noah Imodu, described the road as more than a transport infrastructure project, saying it represented “progress, improved accessibility, economic empowerment, safety, security and, most importantly, hope” for residents.
Imodu assured the government that the community would treat the road as its heritage and cooperate with the contractor and relevant government agencies to ensure its timely completion.
The Adebayo-Akinade Road project is the latest in a series of road interventions launched by the Office of Rural Development within the past week.
Other projects include the 560-metre Isikalu Road, 270-metre Odofin Road, 320-metre Alayabiagba Road and 250-metre Cemetery Road in Ajeromi-Ifelodun, as well as the 320-metre Asubiojo Road and 115-metre Owoseni Road in Ifelodun LCDA.
