Abeokuta Community Groans Over Destruction Of Roads By FG's Railway Construction Company

Damage caused by the Railway construction company to the community road

ABEOKUTA - Residents of Ori-Osoko Community in Abeokuta South local government area of Ogun state have lamented the gory hardship experienced over the deplorable condition of their community roads occasioned by the railway station construction. 

The community at a press conference held on Tuesday in Abeokuta claimed that, the contractor handling the federal government railway project in Laderin, Abeokuta, Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) have wreck more havoc by damaging all major access roads to the community.

Speaking with newsmen on the spot assessment tour, the Chairman, O ri-Osoko Community Development Association, Comrade Egbeyemi Olakunle noted that, over 100 houses have been marked to be demolished in the cause of rounding up the project. 

Egbeyemi explained further that, about eight out of the 14 access roads leading to the community, were destroyed by the railway construction company.

He added that,  the poor condition of the road networks has prevented their children from going to school while those with vehicles cannot go to work during heavy downpour. 

He however, appealed to the federal government to reconsider renaming the train station as Ori-terminal station against Laderin terminal station as being proposed.

The community equally requested for employment of their Indigenes and residents in the Nigeria Railway Corporation.

"To buttress our points, this Ori-Osoko community suffered a lot of demolition of houses and in fact, commercial activities to pave way for this construction though, the FG in its own little way compensated those affected with various amount according to its structures. 

"In addition, before this press conference, various letters have been written to Itori zonal intervention office to solicit for assistance in coming to our aid in the community which has resulted into nothing. The only thing done was the bridge which we believe was actually done for the purpose of their own benefit to ease the movement of their vehicles and machineries. 

"Based on what we suffered for in the area of electricity while we are compelled by the CCECC contractor at the site to relocate our  electricity transformer in order to give room for the construction of road and railway track, in this cause some residents have been denied of electricity because of the division caused by this project. 

"In this case our community urgently needs a brand new electricity transformer to serve the residents that had been cut off from the light. "

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Chinese Construction Company, Mr. Olusola Kolade said the company would ensure the construction of the damaged roads as soon as the Abeokuta train station is completed.

He said,  "I've contacted some appropriate quarters about the incident and look for a possible solutions to it. We've had series of meetings with the community and some of the issues raised were addressed. 

"But on the construction of their roads, we are of the view that by the time the Abeokuta train station is completed, that will be done, because there's still frequent of passage in Abeokuta station for now because of the ongoing work. But having discussed with one of the community representative I will pass it across to the company to look for a possible solution."