Residents of Mende, Maryland have called on the Lagos State Government to prevail on the contractor handling the abandoned dredging project for channelisation of the Ikorodu-Mende ferry route to return to site.

The residents of the area made the call on the Lagos State Government while speaking with newsmen on Thursday.

Specifically, they called on the Permanent Secretary and Technical Director of the Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Kehinde Farouk-Gbajumo and Engr. Christopher Sobande respectively, to ensure that the project is done and enforce compliance to standards in its execution.

The concerned residents alleged that dredging equipment had been abandoned and engineers were no longer present on site, urging Merited Construction Limited, the company awarded the project, to resume work without further delay. 

“Since December last year 2023 to date, they have not performed to the expectations of the public,” they alleged. 

The residents had previously pleaded with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to fulfil his electoral promise to provide water transportation facilities and improve channelisation projects in the area. 

They expressed anticipation that the government would commence work on the waterways and pledged their support once the project began. 

Additionally, they assured Governor Sanwo-Olu that they would actively publicise the project once works resume at the site.

It was gathered that the dredger brought to the site is not capable of handling the job, leading to residents questioning the government’s commitment to the project.

“Our close observation shows that they are not doing anything at the site, but we are watching and monitoring the situation,” the residents complained.

They queried the competence of the Waterfront Ministry’s Technical Director, who they alleged recommended the contractor for such a “sensitive project”.

The residents claimed that their investigation revealed that Engr. Sobande, who allegedly brought the incompetent contractor, was also the one who recommended him, alleging further that the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Gbajumo, did not follow due process before endorsing the letter of award. 

They recalled that Engr. Sobande delivered the site to the contractor in December 2023 and since then, has not shown any commitment towards the successful execution of the project.    

They expressed fears that poor implementation of channelisation could exacerbate environmental problems, urging the State government to prioritise the projects to improve water transportation and prevent further suffering. 

Similarly, the residents called for regular supervision from the Ministry of Waterfront to ensure efficient project completion.

A community leader urged civil society platforms advocating for good governance to support the prioritisation of channelisation projects to enhance Lagos State’s water transportation system.

The community said: “We haven’t asked for much. 

“Governor Sanwo-Olu promised to dredge the waterways in our area and make water transportation accessible and affordable. 

“It’s disheartening that the government usually forgets that the masses need basic amenities.”