Residents of Orije Apakin Community Development Association along the Sagamu-Benin Expressway in Sagamu, Ogun State, have appealed to the government to construct a pedestrian bridge and install speed breakers at a busy junction following repeated fatal accidents involving pedestrians.
The residents said the junction in front of Celplas Company had become dangerous due to speeding vehicles and the absence of a safe crossing point, claiming that several people had been killed or permanently disabled in accidents at the location.
Speaking with PUNCH Metro on Sunday, a resident, Gabriel Oluwasola, said serious accidents occurred almost weekly, claiming lives and leaving other victims with severe injuries.
“There is a particular section of the Sagamu-Benin Expressway, in front of Celplas Company, where serious road accidents occur almost every week.
“Sadly, many of these accidents have resulted in loss of life, while several workers and other road users have sustained severe injuries, leaving some permanently disabled,” he said.
Oluwasola said the community was seeking a lasting solution to prevent further deaths, adding that a pedestrian bridge would provide a safer crossing point for workers and residents.
“Our major concern is to see a lasting solution put in place before more lives are lost. We believe that constructing a pedestrian bridge at that location would go a long way towards preventing these avoidable accidents and saving lives. With the right media attention, something meaningful can be done about this situation,” he said.
Another resident, Ayeni Kehinde, said the junction was particularly dangerous because of the volume of traffic and the speed at which vehicles travelled along the expressway.
He explained that ongoing road construction had worsened traffic conditions, with some motorists allegedly driving against the flow of traffic.
“The section in front of Celplas Company, after the Area Command, towards Ijebu-Ode, is extremely busy. Because of ongoing construction, some vehicles heading towards Lagos drive against the flow of traffic, while those travelling from Sagamu towards Ijebu-Ode also use the road in the same direction.
“Some drivers are not careful enough, and many vehicles travel at high speed. Because it is a major road, applying the brakes can be difficult.
“A lot of accidents have happened there. Last month, about two people died. I know about some of the incidents because my house is very close to the expressway,” he said.
Kehinde also said the narrow concrete barrier separating the two sides of the road offered little protection to pedestrians attempting to cross.
“The barrier separating the two sides of the road is too narrow. Vehicles can drive very close to it, and when people cross from the other side, there is no proper place for them to stand apart from that tiny divider.
“You cannot stand firmly on it to look in both directions before crossing. It is too narrow to provide a safe waiting point for pedestrians,” he said.
Another resident, Moses Damilare, appealed to the government to intervene, saying repeated calls for assistance had yet to produce a lasting solution.
“We have been crying out for help from the government. We want them to make a pedestrian bridge easily accessible to people so that they can cross safely and reduce the danger on the road,” he said.
Damilare recounted an incident in which he helped rescue a pedestrian who had been knocked down by a vehicle.
“I had to call people around and help rescue the person to the hospital, but the victim later died. Another person also died, while a third victim survived. Within a month, three people died,” he said.
He added that the large number of workers at Celplas Company, alongside residents of neighbouring communities who regularly crossed the expressway, made urgent intervention necessary.
According to him, the volume of pedestrian traffic around the company exposed workers and other residents to the risk of being knocked down by vehicles.
Damilare also alleged that another pedestrian was knocked down near the area and left unattended for so long that the body began to decompose.
The Chairman of Harmony Joy CDA, Olaposi Misinu, acknowledged the government’s efforts in constructing the road, saying the project had improved movement into and out of the community.
However, he said the needs of pedestrians, particularly workers at the company and residents of neighbouring communities, had not been adequately considered during the project.
“We really appreciate the government for constructing the road because it has improved mobility into and out of our community. But the major problem is that our community has become a major route for workers at the company.
“The contractor handling the project did not take into consideration the movement of people working there. The focus seemed to be on constructing the road, leaving people to fend for themselves.
“When workers are moving in and out of a place like that, the road becomes dangerous for people living around it,” he said.
Misinu urged the government to introduce immediate safety measures, including speed breakers and warning signs around the junction, to prevent further accidents.
While acknowledging that constructing a pedestrian bridge might require considerable space, he said alternative measures should be introduced if the bridge could not be built immediately.
“If they cannot construct an overhead bridge now because of the space it would require, they should install speed breakers before the junction and put up signs warning motorists that people work and move around the area. This will encourage drivers to slow down before reaching the junction.
“We need the government to do something to make movement safer for everyone. We would be grateful if this could be addressed, especially as we appreciate the government for constructing the road,” he said.
When contacted on Sunday, the spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said the agency would continue to educate road users through seminars, workshops and other public enlightenment programmes to reduce road crashes.
He said the agency also used radio, television and social media platforms to educate motorists and pedestrians, while enforcing traffic regulations and engaging relevant stakeholders.
“What we do as an agency of government charged with the administration and control of road traffic matters is a great deal of sensitisation, education, and enlightenment for road users through seminars or workshops at garages and parks.
“They may also invite us to come and lecture them; we do that. In our own little way, we have programmes we run on the radio, TV, and even via our social media handles to further educate and enlighten our people. What we also do is a great deal of enforcement.
“We’ll not relent in what we do as an agency; if not via enlightenment, we do it via enforcement, and we also engage most of the stakeholders like ACOMORON, NURTW,” he said.
Akinbiyi noted that construction was still ongoing along the expressway and that motorists were expected to observe a speed limit of 50 kilometres per hour within the construction zone.
He, however, lamented that some drivers exceeded the limit, increasing the risk of accidents.
“Moreover, that axis you mentioned is still a construction area; construction is still ongoing, and unfortunately most of us don’t obey the speed limit. Within a construction zone, you cannot go beyond 50 km/h, but you see people still driving beyond 50km and whenever there are issues there, it leads to something else. It’s an unfortunate situation, but we’ll continue to do what we need to do to protect lives and property,” he added.
Also speaking with PUNCH Metro on Sunday, the acting Controller of the Federal Ministry of Works in Ogun State, Adeleye Olajide, said the construction of a pedestrian bridge along the expressway was not included in the scope of the ongoing road project.
“As of now, it is not in our scope of work,” he said.