Adiyan-Orudu residents cry out over bad roads, seek approval to construct flood drainage

Some of the residents who spoke with our Reporter said there have been many casualties on the road during rainy periods. They noted that most of the victims are children going or returning from school.

Mr Jamiu Jooda a.k.a Ijaya, a 51 year-old indigene of Adiyan-Orudu Gasline said all vehicular movements are always on halt during rainy periods, as residents usually trek from the area to Agbado, a distance that is quite far.

“In fact, some people will not be able to come back, while others get back home as late as 1am. The flooding problem is very terrible, and as a community we have been doing our best, but we seriously need help to find a lasting solution to the issue. We have written several letters, but no response. We are even ready to sponsor the construction of the drainage, but we need approval from the Nigerian Gas Company. A lot of people have lost their cars to the flood here, while others have been selling their houses to relocate,” Jooda said.

He further noted that the community requires two drainages; one at the Gasline junction leading to Matogun road, and the second one on the other side leading to Olaogun. Both drainages, according to on-the-spot assessment, won’t be more than five meters in length, but will ameliorate the crisis by redirecting the flood ravaging the roads to the appropriate channels.

The community leaders noted that they’re seeking the consent of the Nigerian Gas Company to supervise the project because it is their technicians who can properly guide them on how to dig the drainage, in order not to cause any damage to the gas pipes under the ground.

“They’re the ones who know the positioning of their gas pipes, and we are mindful of that. That is why we are pleading with them to honour our request for this problem to be solved once and for all,” Jooda added.

According to Mr Bamiji Oludimu, an Electrical Engineer residing in the area, “we have been battling with this flood crisis since 27 years that I moved to this community. A few individuals have spent millions of naira from their hard earned money to fill the roads with sands, at least to make it a bit passable, but until we have those drainages at the Adiyan junction, all the efforts will continue to end in futility. In fact, the situation became worse this year, and that is why we are calling on the Nigerian Gas Company to please show mercy on us because it’s really frustrating.”

In his own submission, Mr Segun Olanrewaju said business activities in the area have continued to nosedive, no thanks to the flood issue. He added that “Taking a commercial bus from Agbado to this place now costs N1,000. Ordinarily, the fare is not supposed to be more than N300, but the bus operators said they have no choice, considering the damages the roads usually cause to their vehicles. People are really suffering here.”