Multi million naira Oke-Afa jetty constructed by the former Chairman of the Ejigbo Local Council Development Authority (LCDA), Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan more than three years ago is in state of neglect and decay.
A visit by Primetime Reporters to the site of the project which is situated behind the Oke-Afa cenotaph on Wednesday revealed that the project which was commissioned by the former Commissioner of Transport, Lagos state, Mr. Kayode Opeifa and his counterpart in the Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters in 2014 is under threat of being washed away by erosion.
The jetty which was conceived by Bamigbetan to serve the people of Ejigbo, Egbeda, Ikotun, Isolo, Igando and environs was aimed at reducing the perennial gridlock that the area is synonymous with by ferrying people from the area to Mile 2, Apapa, Lagos Island among others.
Regrettably, since the project was commissioned in 2014, nothing has been done at the site of the project which is now being overgrown by grasses more so as the state government has not visited the project either with the intent of turning the project into money spinning machine rather it was busy developing other virgin jetties.
Speaking to newsmen on the sorry state of the project, the Managing Director of KG Marine Limited, Mr. Musti Kenny Ganiyu popularly known as Kenny G regretted that the facility which was completed and commissioned more than three years ago with a ticketing lounge and a work plan to create parking spaces for commuters who may wish to park their vehicles to join the ferry to their various destinations was allowed to rot away.
He called on the Lagos state government to join hands with Ejigbo LCDA as well as the former Chairman who he said is now a Special Adviser to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to put a finishing touch on the project and put it to good use.
According to him,”I went to inspect the Jetty and I can see that what we need the state government to do for us in Ejigbo here in order to assist the man that built this thing is to dredge the canal to 1.5 meters to 2 meters so that boats of 2 meter depth or 1.5 meter depth can move on it and boat operators within Lagos state can bring their boats and also to put shore line protection of 200 to 300 meters on both sides of the canal so that erosion will not wash away the jetty.
“We want the state government to open up the jetty and put it to good use. We heard that the Lagos state government said that it has 30 navigational channels to dredge and that they have started with 4 which I know they have invested billions in them and I believe that by the time they come to this Oke-Afa, especially this local government jetty, it will spend less which we are begging them to come and I believe that if they open up this jetty, it will reduce traffic congestion faced by the people of this area and they will be happy using the ferry as a means of transportation.
“If Lagos state government can partner Ejigbo in order to make this jetty functional and start immediately, it will be the pride of the Governor and the Lagos state government because some people don’t even know what they build here but we that know, knew what Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan has taken his time to put here”.
He disclosed that the present Chairman of the LCDA, Hon. Monsuru Oloyede Bello had taken time to go and inspect the jetty where he sought to know from the people of the area what they expect from the government as it relates to the project adding that the man was ready and really eager to see the place come alive.
“But I can see that he is waiting for the state government to partner with the local government in terms of dredging because local government cannot do it all”, he said.
Asked if he would want the state government to privatize the project if it felt it could not turn it around, he said,”That will be more better if they know they cannot manage it or that they are doing other things, it is better but I believe that without privatizing the project, the present Chairman is trying to do something which I believe will yield desired result”.
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