Residents of the Totooba Great Estate Community Development Area in Ikorodu, Lagos State, have expressed frustration over the absence of essential amenities, including electricity, accessible roads, and healthcare facilities, which they say have severely impacted their quality of life.
The Chairman of the Community Development Association (CDA), Joshua Akindele, emphasized the crippling effects of irregular power supply, which he said has stifled businesses and trade in the area. According to him, the community’s sole transformer is overburdened, as it serves multiple neighboring communities.
“Our transformer has been overloaded, leaving us with inadequate power supply. This has made life uncomfortable and has hampered economic activities in our community,” Akindele said.
He also decried the deplorable state of the roads, which worsens during the rainy season, causing erosion and making movement challenging. Although the community has taken steps to construct drainage systems, Akindele stressed that the absence of proper roads renders their efforts incomplete.
“We need urgent government intervention to tar our roads so that the gutters we have built can function effectively. Good roads will not only prevent erosion but also improve businesses and social interactions,” he added.
The Vice Chairman of the CDA, Oloruntoba Tobby, echoed similar concerns about the lack of accessible healthcare in the area. He noted that the nearest government health facility is located far from the community, leaving residents vulnerable in medical emergencies.
“Our people face significant risks because the nearest health center is too far to meet their immediate needs. We are appealing for a healthcare facility within the community to ensure timely and affordable medical care,” Tobby said.
Both Akindele and Tobby called on the government to provide a Primary Healthcare Centre, a 500KVA transformer, and an accessible road network to alleviate the community’s challenges.
In response, Ikorodu Local Government Chairman, Wasiu Adesina, acknowledged the community’s plight and urged residents to cooperate with the government by paying their taxes and levies. Adesina noted that the state government had begun work on the major Gberigbe link road, which serves the area, and assured residents that their requests would be addressed.
“It is their right to have basic amenities, but they must also support the government by fulfilling their obligations. Let them submit their requests formally, and we will look into them,” Adesina said.
