Lagos Has Built More Roads Than Ghana, S/Leone —Fashola

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Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Thursday said the State has  built more new roads in the last three and half years than either Sierra Leone or  Ghana, two countries in the West African sub- region.

Governor Fashola who spoke at the official commissioning of New Plants and Equipment  of the Lagos State Public Works Corporation at Oba Ogunnusi Road, Isheri added that  in the last three years, 251 new roads comprising 371 kilometres have been completed  within Lagos.

He explained that currently another 44 roads that will provide 77 kilometres of new  roads are under construction and would be concluded within the next six months.

Governor Fashola also said in addition to this, another 60 new roads that would add  129 kilometres are under construction and would be completed beyond the six months  timeline.

According to the governor, any observer of events in Lagos can testify that in the  last three and half years, the State has become a huge construction city with the  Government being non-discriminatory in terms of infrastructure development as it has  been by building schools, hospitals, drainages and more importantly roads.

The governor reiterated that easy movement of persons and goods within and around  the state remains central to the deliverables required for the megacity ideal to  take its proper shape, adding that the vision is to make Lagos the model mega City  in Africa.

Governor Fashola said the strategy is to complement the massive on-going road  construction work in various parts of the state with commensurate routine repair and  maintenance exercise.

While explaining that the administration is committed to ensuring that road  maintenance is sustainable, the governor urged the people to reconsider their  general attitude to road maintenance.

This, he said, can be achieved if the people shun the habit of turning the roads to  refuse dumps as well as engaging in indiscriminate road cutting, stressing that most  new roads have ducts provided with them thus making road cutting absolutely  unnecessary.

Governor Fashola said while Government is not opposed to people engaging in laying  of cables across roads, it is always advisable to seek clarifications to be better  informed, adding that government always advises that it is the contractors who  constructed the roads that should cut and fix back the roads if it becomes  absolutely necessary.

The governor urged the Federal Government to accelerate and show serious commitment  to building a rail network that will help the concerned interests to discharge goods  from the ports.

He explained that the advanced countries which Nigeria seeks to emulate do not  discharge their crude and containers by roads but by rail, adding that this is made  more imperative with Lagos State which has the busiest port in the country.

He added that part of the results empirically proven as being responsible for the  state of some of the roads is that when containers are conveyed from the ports, they  are not taken to the warehouses located at the industrial estates where the roads  have been prepared to withstand heavy equipments, but many would prefer to drive the  containers to the streets of their residence thereby shortening the lifespan of such  roads.

Governor Fashola also commended the Public Works Corporation for becoming creative  in finding new and adaptive ways to keep traffic moving and the roads motorable in  spite of the rains.

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Governor Fashola said the new methods have proven very reliable and ideal for areas  that are with high water table and those with challenges of drains adding that the  management and staff of the Public Works Corporation should be ready to sing their  own praises if no one does it.

The Governor emphasized that the items being commissioned only represents a tip of  the iceberg in terms of the investment the State is prepared to make towards  ensuring that Lagos roads remain in good condition all year round

The items include 10 tractors with tipping trailers, 13 double cabin pick-ups,  asphalt cutters with blades, paver, 6 rollers, graders, wheel loader and bulldozer.

He also disclosed that a low bed with head, Hyab hand held rollers and flood lights  are awaiting delivery while signs of adherence to health and safety standards are  already manifesting with the use of cones, caution tapes, reflective chevrons,  flashing lights, nose masks, hand gloves, hard hats, safety boots and the bright  yellow uniforms.

In a welcome address, the Executive Chairman of the Lagos State Public Works  Corporation, Mr Gbenga Akintola said the push of the Governor to re-engineer the  Corporation has led the PWC into adopting a wholistic approach to changing its  fortune for the better.

Mr Akintola assured the Governor that his dream for the corporation will come true  earlier than imagined, going by the level of success already recorded in the area of  capacity to respond to emergency road repair requests, working at night, adhering to  health and safety standards and prosecution of the rebranding project.

He said in spite of prevailing circumstances, the Corporation has been able to work  on 127 roads across the State under the palliative programme which commenced in  August 2010, adding that the Corporation has resumed the production of asphalt which  will enable it to carry out proper repair work that will last much longer and reach  more places faster.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the House of Assembly Committee on Works and  Infrastructure, Hon Dayo Fafunmi thanked the Governor for successfully rebranding  the Public Works Corporation.

While commending the organization for getting busy even during the rainy season, Hon  Fafunmi also urged the Governor to give regular funding to the agency.

He also urged the governor to make a case for increased funding of the Public Works  Corporation from the proceeds of the petroleum tax out of which 60 percent is  supposed to be shared among states’ rehabilitation agencies.

Also speaking at the event, the Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure,  Engineer Ganiyu Johnson who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Office  of Infrastructure, Engineer Lateef Olokunola commended the level of repairs being  done round the state by the agency.

He urged the agency to embark upon the training of local engineers in the 57 Local  Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas so that they can assist the  councils to face local roads while the agency faces state roads.

The governor later cut the tape to commission the new plants and equipment before  being conducted round for an inspection of the items.

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