AMBODE HAS ABANDONED US - LAGASA COMMUNITY

CDA CHAIRMAN, ALHAJI ERIFOLAMI

The socio -economic development of any community depends largely on the availability of social amenities and infrastructures available to it.

Communities with basic amenities contribute more to the economic well-being of the state. Residents of such communities become more productive and gainfully engaged, thereby reducing the now very disturbing menace of 'Omoniles' and their activities.

But in Lagos the centre of excellence, there are many communities that are suffering severe hardship as a result of lack of basic social amenities such as water, road, electricity, clinic, market, school etc. One of such communities is LAGASA, a rural community in the Ajah axis of Lagos.

LAGASA is a community with a population of over 2,000 people, with more than half of that number jobless while majority of the other  half are 'suppliers'. (Agents who supply sand, granites, etc to land developers).

Others who could not join the Suppliers Association take to riding motorcycle (Okada), as a means of livelihood.

LAGASA is surrounded by four communities, Eputu, Oribanwa, Lakowe and Dogo. Besides Dogo that is an island, Lagasa is the only community that has no road, no primary or secondary school, no clinic, no market, and no stable electricity.

" I think the government has abandoned us. You see that the roads are very bad, shops are closing up because of the lack of electricity", a resident told AL-IDIAKE NEWS.

The CDA chairman, Alhaji Adegboyega Erinfolami who spoke to AL- IDIAKE NEWS on efforts made so far to engage the government on these issues especially on what the government is doing about the road said: "We have been trying since 2007, but recently we called and we were told to be patient that with time the road will be done".

Erifolami said the community had made several representations to the governor of Lagos state, Akinwunmi Ambode through Hon. Fatai Mojeed, Lagos State House of Assembly Member, representing constituency 1, Ibeju Lekki, but regretted that was nothing was forthcoming.

" So far, the government is yet to make any input to the Lagasa Health Centre,  but we hope that government will support the project when work on the construction of the Health Centre commences ". He said.

Another resident of the area wonders why Eputu and Oribanwa have their roads constructed while Lagasa's remains untouched. " At least government would have constructed same 500metres in LAGASA too. You go to Eputu at nights,  you will almost think you are in London, but coming to LAGASA everywhere becomes dark". She laments.

Over the years and especially during elections, politicians make several promises to develop this community, only to abandon it after they have been voted into office.

It is sincerely hoped that the Lagos state governor, Mr. Ambode will urgently rescue this abandoned community, LAGASA and make it more economically relevant in future.