Ibadan Community Laments, As Three ‘Die’ From Chinese Firm’s Negligence

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 July 29, 2020 

Residents of Eleso community in Ibadan have expressed their displeasure the deadly portion under the flyover between Omi-Adio and Eleso town along the Ibadan-Abeokura expressway.

Residents, who were turned back by security officers when they marched to the office of the contractor of the railway project, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation ( CCECC), alleged that the poor state of the project led to the death of three youths in a ghastly motor accidents recently.

Michael Olufuyi Kehinde, Joseph Sunday and Femi Kolawole met their untimely death under the flyover in separate accident that occurred same day last Thursday.

They also accused the contractor of being insensitive to the plight of the host community , especially when all requests to the company to repair the deadly portion of the flyover fell on deaf ears.

They explained that prior to the accident that claimed the lives of the three youths, many mishaps had been recorded under the flyover between Omi-Adio and Eleso town along Ibadan-Abeokuta expressway.

In a protest letter addressed to the CCECC General Manager in its Lagos office, the traditional ruler of Eleso Community , Chief Isiaka Abe expressed sadness over the continued loss of lives under the flyover, especially the latest mishap where three members of the community died .

The community leader who called on the Minister of Transport, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi and Oyo state governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde to save the residents of the community and other roads users from the bad portion of the flyover, wondered how the Chinese firm has remained adamant despite repeated calls to find lasting solution to the incessant accident on the portion of the road.

Chief Abe said before the unfortunate accident, which saw many youths on the street , making burn fire and carrying placards, protesting the avoidable loss of lives , quite a number of carnages had been recorded under the flyover in question.

According to him, the lackadaisical attitude of the Chinese officials have shown that they had little respect for sacredness of human lives.

He said the major problem was the failure of the CCECC officials to put the affected portion back to the original design after the construction of the flyover .

” Having altered the original design of the expressway, the CCECC officials caused the road to be narrowed much more that the road could not accommodate road users , thereby resulting in multiple accidents and loss of precious lives on daily basis.

” Presently , heap of sand has covered almost half of the road under the flyover and we observed that the only way to stop the carnage is to construct drainage on both sides under the flyover and widen the road.

” And secondly, we recommend that there should be asphalt -made speed breakers before the flyover to serve as checks and prevent accidents” , the traditional ruler said.