The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said that over 282 roads have been rehabilitated in the last six months, just as it assured residents that the ongoing construction across the metropolis will be completed in due course.
General Manager of the Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC), Engr. Ayotunde Sodeinde, gave the assurance on Tuesday while briefing newsmen on the work done so far.
Sodeinde said that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s desire is to see that all roads across the state are motorable.
“We have done 282 roads since June 2015 till date. We have listed another 189 roads and anytime from now we would start. We would work every day and night to ensure we make life more comfortable for residents in the state,” he said.
He listed some of the roads completed and fully rehabilitated to include Metal Box Road, Acme Road inward Akilo and Ejigbo-Ikotun road, while extensive fixing of potholes were also carried out on other roads. He also listed some roads such as Alfa Nla/Capitol road in Agege, Brown Street in Oshodi and Okota Road in Isolo as some of those under construction.
“Metal Box Road and Acme Road are special projects. They are not routine projects that we do. The routine projects are like 280. If I start to mention all of them, it would take a lot of time. We are doing the second asphalting on Ejigbo; the place is quite motorable now. We had finished that Ikotun Ijegun. Why I said it is 85 percent completed is because of the drainage system,” he explained.
Sodeinde said the rehabilitation of these roads has to large extent reduced traffic congestion in the last three weeks, saying that the Public Works crew are on the road day and night to give the roads a facelift.
He spoke further: “The governor is not sitting down; he wants all the roads in Lagos to be motorable. He wants the hard life that Lagosians are going through to be alleviated. He cannot stand Lagosians going through hardship and most of these roads.
“People are testifying now that the traffic is moving. You know when the roads are good, it means economic growth. People will be able to move from one part of the state to another, transport their goods without stress, you will notice that even the hoodlums and pickpockets, they operate when there is gridlock, as far as gridlock that is being caused by potholes are concerned, we are on our feet to ensure that we put the road in order to reduce the traffic.”
He assured that by the end of December, LSPWC would have rehabilitated more roads across the state.
Sodeinde added that the ongoing rehabilitation works have also seen the repair of 117 federal roads in the state, adding that if funds are available, more roads will be fixed.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde said in continuation of the government’s effort to fix the roads, the governor approved the award of 114 roads, two from each of the 57 local governments across the state.
He also assured Lagosians that the process or road rehabilitation and reconstruction is continuous and more roads will be rehabilitated in the next quarter.
“All these roads which would be done by the local government will come with standard drainage system, walkways and street lights. The state government had nothing to do with choosing the contractors, the local governments have been mandated to do that and this will create jobs within each local government”, Mr Ayorinde said.
