5th May, 2016
The Lagos State Government says it has demolished 84 street gates which were shut against motorists before the 12 midnight deadline stipulated time.
The Lagos State Government, in a bid to resolve traffic gridlock in the metropolis ordered all street gates to be opened till 12 midnight of each day so that motorists could drive through them in a bid to decongest traffic in the state.
Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Muslim Folami disclosed this at a news conference on Thursday in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
He said out of the 148 street gates earmarked for demolition across the state, 84 of them have been pulled down for failing to abide by government’s instruction to leave them open till 12 midnight.
“The Ministry promoted 24-hour access through gated streets in the State with the involvement of Community Development Associations in the State. So far, enforcement in 84 locations has been effected as at April, 2016. This is being done to improve security, free flow of traffic, safety of lives and properties of all citizens in the State,” he said.
The commissioner warned landlords and others who normally lock their street gates before 12 midnight to prevent motorists from plying them to desist from such immediately as government would demolish such gates forcefully for refusal to comply.
On boundary dispute, Folami lamented that Ogun State had encroached seriously on Lagos’ land, saying that “Ogun State has almost taken a large chunk of Lagos land.”
He said because of the dispute arising from land, the state government had begun to erect signposts to mark out its land from that of Ogun State to avoid encroachment.
“The Ministry facilitated the erection of 114 sign post at inter State and inter Local Government boundaries to minimize conflicts and inform the public about same in collaboration with the Surveyor-General’s Office and the Lagos State Number Plate Agency. Additional 114 will be installed within the next few months to further delineate the boundaries and inform the public about same.
“Efforts are also being made to ameliorate the border communities’ infrastructure gap with provision of potable water, access to electric power supply and access roads and other life improving facilities.
“Boundary beacons either removed or damaged are being replaced in collaboration with the Surveyor General’s office starting with the Agbara in Badagry this year. This will also minimize border conflicts and ease administration in the areas. Other areas of attention include Ode-Omi in Lekki LCDA, Alagbado in Ojokoro LCDA and Agbede in Ikorodu North LCDA,” Folami stated.
On the construction of 114 roads across all councils in Lagos, Folami disclosed that the roads would be completed by the end of June, saying that the roads were being constructed by the councils under government’s supervision.
“The Ministry supervised the construction of 114 standard Local Government access roads with covered drains, walkways and street light on the basis of two per Local Government with an average length of 665 meters which are at more than 48% completion as at the time of reporting.
“This initiative has created an average of 32 professional and skilled jobs, 17 unskilled jobs directly while indirect jobs have been estimated at 21 per road. Thus, more about 6,000 direct and 3,000 indirect jobs has been created in the local areas of the state with the initiative.
“The Councils on their own have also constructed over 233 other roads, drainage and culverts with varying standards and completion stage of more than 86% as at the time of reporting. It is of note that the Community Development Associations are taking ownership of these facilities which made monitoring relatively easier,” he said.