Constituency meeting: Ojokoro residents want hospitals, schools, roads

Stakeholders in Ojokoro area in Lagos State on Thursday listed their major needs to include a General Hospital, schools, roads and recreational centres.

The stakeholders highlighted these problems at the 7th Annual Lagos State House of Assembly Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting held in the area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was simultaneously held in all the 40 constituencies in the state.

Oba Riliwan Taiwo, the Oba of Ojokoroland, who commended Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s provision of some roads in the constituency, called for construction and rehabilitation of more roads to minimise the transportation difficulties of residents.

The Oba, who was represented by High Chief Fawemimo Ajanaku, the Araba of Ojokoroland, said that the poor condition of roads had become a major source of worry for motorists and commuters.

Prince Bolarinwa Sarumo-Dada, Baale of Alakuko-Ajegunle-Ilo in Ojokoro, in his contribution, said that the residents needed schools and roads.

“We need roads, we need schools, especially in my area; we also need empowerment for our youths to engage them and divert their minds away from drug abuse,” he said.

A former lawmaker, Mr Ipoola Omisore, who applauded the stakeholders’ meeting, said it was an opportunity for the people to tell the government what they wanted.

“In Ojokoro, we have our problems; we do not have a general hospital of our own.

“In my own Ward, Alakuko, we need a senior secondary school, a land has been provided and we want it included in the 2022 budget.

“We are a semi-urban area; we do not have a market. We need a big market.

“We have had to go to Ifako General Hospital to access the most basic healthcare. That should stop,” Omisore said.

The former lawmaker, who commended the state government for road infrastructure, said that the constituency required more new roads and the rehabilitation of old ones.

Mr Hammed Tijani, the Executive Chairman of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area, who also commended Sanwo-Olu’s developmental strides, sspecially road infrastructure, said that the council still needed more roads.

“The first problem we have is road network. I still want to appeal that the state government should come to our aid by fixing Gbeleyi Avenue, Agric Road and Ile Igbo Street.

“These are major roads that will create easy access and alternative routes within the local government if fixed,” he said.

Mr Rasheed Makinde, the lawmaker representing Ifako Ijaiye Constituency I1 in Lagos Assembly, in a remark, noted that human demands were insatiable.

Makinde said: “We still need a lot of things. Among those things that we need are schools. We need more public schools in our constituency.

“Our health centre needs to be upgraded to a modern one that can accommodate a lot of patients.

“We need a recreational centre; if you cannot build a mini stadium, let the state government acquire land where the youth can exercise themselves and where the old ones can come for a jog.

“We need an indoor sport centre in our constituency. We want the executive to come to the aid of the people. We still have a lot of road projects deficit.”

According to him, the deplorable state of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway has worsened the condition of inner roads in the area as motorists see them as alternatives.

“Our inner roads are where the heavy trucks are now passing and the roads are collapsing.

“We need the government to repair our inner roads. We also want an upgrade for roads that have totally collapsed,” he said

NAN reports that the event attracted various political leaders, market groups, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the area. (NAN)