Just a visit to our own Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area and Ifelodun Local Council Development Area both in (AJEGUNLE), more recently, you would be shocked at the way the so-called ‘Kings of the Road’- Tanker and Trailer Drivers have besieged all our Major Roads and Adjoining Streets, causing untold Hardship to motorists, motorcyclists, tricyclists and other road users.
Fine and Good, the Local Council Administrations under the distinguished leaderships of Hon. Fatai Ayoola and Hon. Fatai Ajidagba (AJIFAT), rake humongous revenue from collecting tolls and levies from these tanker and trailer drivers, but the way they are allowed to besiege our roads with reckless abandon makes discerning minds like us, say “To Hell With Their Blood Monies.”
For God’s Sake, this is not our own AJEGUNLE, that we all grew up in.
How can a journey of say 10 minutes from Boundary Market to Otto Woff now take over 1 hour because of this Tanker and Trailer Drivers Menace? How can same journey from Boundary Market to Berger Suya/Berger Car Mart that is supposed to be 10 minutes take 1 hour or more because of these reckless drivers? How can a journey from Boundary Market to Alaba Suru that ought to be 10 minutes now take an hour or more? Something urgent must be done about this debilitating issue!
It’s advisable that while the Councils under the leaderships of Hon. Fatai Ayoola and Hon. Fatai Ajidagba are raking millions of Naira monthly from these ‘kings of the road,’ the lives, properties and businesses of AJEGUNLE residents whom they were elected to SERVE must be protected at all cause.
Businesses must not fold up because we want to rake monies from these reckless ‘Kings of the Road.’ Even, the number of deaths and grievous injuries on other road users, that these Tanker and Trailer Drivers have caused since they started besieging our roads and adjoining streets is becoming an eye-sore.
Being a very clumsy ghetto community with smaller roads, streets, and jampacked houses, God forbid, what if there is a minor or major tanker or trailer fire incident? Our people are finished then!
Let it be reiterated that no matter the standard of roads built by the Local Governments or State Government in AJEGUNLE, if these menace is allowed to continue, they won’t last long. The case of Coconut Road leading to the Tincan Island Port is a glaring example. That road constructed by former Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola is already getting deplorable as the day goes by- courtesy the Blood Money being raked from this menace.
Be that as it may, whether these monies raked from the tolls and levies collected from these tanker and trailer drivers beseiging our roads and adjoining streets are being used judiciously for the growth and development of our communities by the authorities in Ajeromi-Ifelodun LGA and Ifelodun LCDA, is a matter for another day.
It is suggestive for our Councils Chairmen to toe the line of the Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area. Under the administration of former Executive Chairman, Ayodele Adewale, these tankers, trailers, heavy duty trucks and long articulated vehicles were barred from plying some parts of that Local Government Area, and even till date. Has this not preserved their roads?
Ikenna Asomba is a Social Commentator.