Shammeh assures Ilasamaja residents of good projects
By Damilola kushimo
The Chairman of Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Shamsudeen Olaleye (Shammeh) has said Ilasamaja Ward has actually attracted his utmost attention and that the ward had never been forgotten in terms of developmental projects and programmes.
During his engagement with the leaders of the community recently, Olaleye said he gave priority to Ilasamaja in his first term in office between 2011 and 2014 by reconstructing Okomola Primary School, reconstructing Ogunbowale Street and facilitating the dredging of Ilasamaja Canal among others.
According to him, his interest in the development of the ward prompted him to set up Ilasamaja Consultative Forum whose membership is made up of elected and appointed representatives from Ilasamaja.
They include the SLG, Hon. Kolawole Olojede; the councillor representing the ward, Hakeem Alarape; the Supervisor for Agric, Wasiu Oketoki and Supervisor for Youth and Sport, Nofisat Shobayo.
As he clarified, the committee’s job is to look at developmental challenges and recommend solutions.
He noted that the forum recommended 20 streets for palliative measures and the completion of Fabiyi Street.
The council boss said the total disrepair of the road was hinged on the absence of drainage to channel flood and industrial water; collapsed culvert taking water to Godwin Omonua; dirt from Ilasamaja Market and the presence of heavy duty vehicles as well as failure of companies in the area to meet up with their social responsibilities.
For permanent solution, he said drainages have to be constructed on both sides of the road before resurfacing and asphalting of the road while the collapsed culvert would be expanded to take high volume of water.
He urged community leaders to appeal to dwellers of the market to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse into the drains.
The chairman said in view of the cost and the LCDA’s lean purse, he would recommend it to the member representing the LCDA in the House of Representatives as a project deserving intervention.
He also disclosed that works have commenced in earnest on the reconstruction of Fabiyi Street and dispelled insinuations that previous administrations had siphoned fund meant for the reconstruction works on the road.
He noted that Ajose/Temitope/Adegbite Streets Project was the second project listed among the 118 road project of the Ambode administration.
“While the first one, Nwachukwu/Olushesi Way in Okota has been completed, it is regrettable that of Ajose/Temitope/Adegbite has not taken off despite the publicity accorded the project by the last administration,” he said.
According to the council boss, local governments in the state were deceived to believe that the cost of the two road projects given to each local government by the Ambode administration would be jointly defrayed by the state government and the councils.
“However, this was not to be as the state government pulled out of the agreement, leaving the council to bear the cost alone. Consequently, the council is defraying the N286million cost of the Nwachukwu/Olusesi road project alone noting that deduction is effected monthly in servicing the debt. As a result of the debt servicing, Conference 57 decided to stall work on the remaining road projects until after the full payment on the debt after which decision would be taken,” he explained.
Speaking on other projects in Ilasamaja to be completed by the council, Olaleye said he was committed to the completion of Fabiyi Street as part of his legacy projects which would be commissioned on or before December 31st.
He also listed the reconstruction of the failed culvert at Abimbola/Bello Street, the drainage and the desilting of the drainage as part of the project expected to be delivered before the end of the year.
As part of the recommendation of Ilasamaja Consultative Forum, the council chairman promised to list grading of more roads in Ilasamaja in the 2020 budget.
