Residents of Karanla plead for road repairs in Ogun State

Residents of Karanla community in Mowe, Ogun State, are calling on the state government to repair their community road. They say the bad condition of the road has made it hard to move around and has affected their daily lives.

During a visit on Monday, residents told PUNCH Metro that the roads have been in bad shape for over 20 years.

A reporter from PUNCH Metro saw residents and motorcycle riders struggling to use the damaged road. Some parts are covered in dust, while others are uneven and hard to drive on.

They explained that the situation gets worse when it rains, making it difficult for everyone, including drivers and motorcycle riders.

Saheed, a commercial motorcyclist, said many riders and drivers avoid the area because of the road's condition. He stated, "When rain falls, the road becomes worse than it is now. We commercial motorcycle riders, and even people with big cars, run from this area because of the road. They should have mercy on us."

He added, "If the government can help us to fix the road, we would be very happy, and the people of the community will also be happy."

Mukaila Jimoh, a community leader in Karanla Village, shared that residents find it hard to access their community. He noted that the two main routes to Mowe and Lotto are both in bad shape.

Jimoh, who is over 80 years old, said the road situation has worsened over the years, even as people continue to vote in elections. He said, "To go out now is a problem for us. Our road is a two-way road, one leading to Mowe and another leading to Lotto. Neither of them is good at all."

He continued, "I am over 80 years old, and for over 20 years, it has become worse than it was before. It is as if we don’t have a government here. If elections begin, we go and vote with struggles and still no enjoyment or gain."

Jimoh mentioned other challenges they face, such as hunger and the difficulty of finding fuel. He insisted that the government needs to act on the road issue.

Another motorcycle rider, who wished to remain anonymous, explained how the weather affects residents. "When rain falls, people will run away from this road. Now it is dust that is their problem, and they have catarrh because of the road, and when rain falls, it is bad," he said.

He also noted that transport fares go up during rainy periods because riders take more risks on the bad road.

Mustafa Adisa, another community leader, showed the correspondent around Karanla, pointing out the roads and other neglected areas needing repairs.

Kayode Akinmade, the Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor on Media and Strategy, responded to the residents' worries. He said the government is investing a lot in road infrastructure across Ogun State.

Akinmade explained that roads are classified differently. Some belong to the state while others are under local government. He said, "When you look at the road from Shun down to Owode to Ofada, they are state roads that we are building. Adjoining roads are local government roads."

He mentioned that the current administration has built over 1,700 kilometres of roads since it started about seven and a half years ago. He pointed out that some roads have been in bad shape for a long time without proper care from past governments.

Akinmade said, "Since we came on board about seven and a half years ago, we have been able to construct over 1,700 kilometres. If your road that is bad is not just today, it has been there for a very long time, so if a certain government had constructed that road, it would have been in a very good order."

He assured residents that the government cares about every road but has to prioritize projects. "What you need to know is that every road is very important to us and we make sure that every local government in the state, when we want to do the road, we give them all opportunities to have a sense of belonging," he said.

Akinmade added that the government will not focus on one community and neglect others. "We cannot begin to develop Mowe at the expense of Ibafo or Ibafo at the expense of Magboro. Everyone has a sense of belonging and government cannot do all these things alone," he said.

He promised that the government would take action if the road in question is under its jurisdiction.