Residents of Lufuwape town in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State have lamented the closure of the turning point on the expressway leading into their community.
Our correspondent who visited the area on Monday observed that the turning point directly opposite the town was blocked by the road contractors, Julius Berger PLC, during the just-concluded renovation on the highway.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the residents go as far as the Sagamu interchange to make a U-turn before entering into the town.
They added that the time spent plying the highway and caused them unnecessary hardship.
A resident, identified simply as Godwin, lamented the hardship which had befallen the community due to the closure of the U-turn and pleaded for its reopening.
He said, “It’s really affecting us here in this village. Before now, mini bus drivers used the turning point here, but now, these buses have to go and turn from the Sagamu interchange.”
Godwin, who decried the rising cost of transport in the area, said, “They’ve increased the fare they were collecting before. Earlier, a journey from Mowe to our town, Lufuwape, was N200, but because of the blockage, it has been increased to N400, because they (commercial drivers) will tell you they would turn at the Interchange. There should be a solution to it.”
A trader, identified simply as Mrs Apata, also sought the rescue of the authorities to open the turning point. She said, “We can’t cross this road any more, even with the heavy goods we get from Lagos, it’s always a challenge to cross. If they can do something for us, we will really appreciate it.”
She bemoaned the incessant accidents happening to road users who attempted to cross the road, and appealed to the government to make available a pedestrian bridge to avert untimely deaths in the area.
Also speaking, a member of the Community Development Association, Kayode Shoneye, highlighted some significant challenges faced by the community due to the blockage on the route, which he noted had increased the travel time, fuel consumption, and elevated transport costs.
Shoneye said, “There should be an alternative turning point around, because someone who is managing fuel will have to reach the interchange before turning to enter the community. It is really challenging and we know how the traffic on the road from Lagos could be like.”
When contacted, the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Olukorede Keisha, explained that the designated point was not meant for a turning point.
She said, “That turning point was a temporary U-turn. That place is not meant to be a turning point, but because of the ongoing project, that was why the place was created for a U-turn. The project has reached the completion stage. So, some of those temporary turning points would need to be blocked.”
Olukorede noted that another reason for the closure was to avert unnecessary loss of lives.
“The inward Lagos and the outward Lagos are on different levels, when they turn there, a lot of accidents do occur around that area which resulted to loss of lives and property around that area.”
