February 04, (THEWILL) – The State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Ogun, Engr Ade Akinsanya, on Tuesday, appealed to motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada riders, to avoid playing roads under reconstruction across the three senatorial districts of the state and take alternative routes to ensure the safety of their lives.
Akinsanya, who stated this during the ongoing reconstruction of Elega-Miliki-Saje Junction Road, said that his ministry would work together with the State Ministry of Transport to nip in the bud, operations of Okada riders on road during construction.
He described operations of the riders during the reconstruction of the road as “problematic” for ignoring road signs and forcefully manoeuvring the route around the road under construction, especially during the laying of asphalts or coals to get passengers to their destinations on time.
The commissioner said, “The Okada people have become a menace on this road project, we are laying asphalt and they are riding on it. They have laid colas and they are riding on it, so it is like you are trying to do your construction work and you are fighting them, so we work with the ministry of transportation to see what can be done.
“There is a lot of disturbance while the work is going on, not only here is everywhere. The Okada riders are the most problematic, the other riders you can block them. We appeal to them to follow the road signs, where there is a block, don’t go there, there is always an alternative road provided.
“If you look now, there is an alternative, but some of the Okada riders will want to do a short cut. So let them follow the road signs, safety is very important, people’s lives are key to what we are doing and we don’t want to lose any life”, he noted.
Akinsanya said that the Dapo Abiodun-led administration decided to embark on massive road reconstruction across the three senatorial districts of the state due to the dilapidated conditions of the roads which were abandoned by previous administration and had made movement of humans and goods difficult from one place to another.
“Generally I think infrastructure is what of the catalyst to development, of people can’t move from point A to be it affects trade and other things so what the government is doing is part of ISEYA mantra, so this is the first component of that, so right now we have have works going in 12 local government and we are still working on others”, he added.
Reacting, a Union Leader of Okada Riders at Saje Junction, Yomi Sofela, urged his fellow riders to cooperate with the contractors handling the road, take alternative routes and avoid using the road under construction.
“With the road reconstruction, I think the government is doing very well, because this will reduce accidents on the roads, they should also cooperate with the contractors. This will also put an end to the dust that makes some members cough”, he stressed.
The Contractor Handling the Road, Mr Ghassan Jagel, (Denver Company Ltd), said that the Elega-Miliki-Saje Junction Road, would take six months and the company was hoping to finish the construction before the rainy season fully starts.
“We are going to certify all the necessary arrangements, the job is six months, and by his grace maybe we can finish before the rainy season. What we are doing is based on all necessary specifications. We have all the drainage we are working on to be sealed before the rain starts to come”, he hinted.
