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Tag: road

Road construction excites Epe residents

A Ray of hope is on the horizon for Epe,the big Lagos State riverine community.

Last week, the state government appointed Messrs Granebury Construction to handle road expansion and rehabilitation in Epe. The contractor is expected to mobilise to site any moment to kick off the first phase of the job.

The roads slated for rehabilitation are categorised into two: A and B. Unnder Category A, which are to be completed next year, are Lagos Road, Oke Osho/T Junction, Aiyetoro/ Roundabout; Central Mosque Junction/Orita Marun Stream. Category B comprises Oloja Estate; Bature/ Otunba Adeniyi/Omotayo/Uthman Mustapha and Raman/Ishawu Owolabi.

However, due to the scope of the project, which will affect some properties, and also require the securing of right of way, officials of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, have held a meeting with the community.

The meeting, tagged: “Stakeholders meeting on the rehabilitation of strategic/arterial/inner roads in Epe Local government,” was attended by traditional rulers, women groups, youth groups, property owners, businessmen and lawmakers from the area. They agreed that the projects should be executed without hindrance.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ganiyu Johnson, explained that the meeting became imperative because some properties that fall on the Right of ways (ROAs) would need to give way for the project. Johnson further explained that as a responsible government, it would not want to take her citizens for granted or put them through any hardship for no reason. And to serve as a palliative, Johnson assured that there would be proper enumeration to ensure that those to be affected by the project are compensated..

“We, therefore, solicit for the understanding and cooperation of all residents, especially, those whose properties will be affected. We realise that this temporary inconveniences will soon give way to all the conceivable comfort that the project, when completed, will bring to the entire community,” Johnson pleaded.

The traditional ruler of Epe, Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun, assured of the community’s support for the project. Besides, he explained that with Epe now playing host to several monumental economic development projects sited within its domain, the people had no option than to throw their full support behind the State government.

“We have Lagos Free Trade Zone, the proposed airport, fertiliser plant by Dangote Groups and others like that. At the end of the day, it is Epe that would benefit most,” Oba Animashaun said.

Similarly, the Oba of Noforija community, Babatunde Ogunlaja, assured the contractor of enjoying a molest-free engagement during the construction. He urged parents to warn their children to desist from being used to hinder the project.

“We don’t want the Governor to regret coming to our division with this laudable project. Let us all join hands to ensure that it is successfully completed and in good time,” the monarch said.

The Managing Director, SEGSON Nigeria Limited, Pastor Segun Ogunade, who is also a member of the community, appealed to the youth not to see the project as means of exploitation, but rather one that would be beneficial to all.

‘’But for a project of this magnitude, it becomes imperative that suitable alternative roads be put in place. This was why the women group called for the immediate rehabilitation of some road portions along Epe-Temu, Imota Agbowa and Isiu axis where there are craters and potholes. Specifically, they want the deplorable state of the road leading from the town to IKorodu to be addressed immediately.

“We are traders going to Mile 12, daily to purchase our goods, but the condition of the road is appalling. On several occasions, trucks, in the process of trying to avoid potholes, would face un-coming vehicles, which is very dangerous. We plead with the government to, as matter of urgency, patch the affected spots,” Mrs. Khadijat Ibiyemi, one of the women leaders, appealed.

The Chairman, House Committee at the Lagos State of Assembly, Mr. Biodun Tobun, appealed that the compensation should be paid effortlessly, urging that builders, youths and artisans in the community be involved the project by the contractor.

January 14, 2016
Yuletide: NEMA, FRSC educate motorists on the road

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) have taken safe driving campaign to major highways as Nigerians travel across the country to celebrate Christmas and New Year.

Speaking shortly before the take-off of the on-the-road campaign along Kaduna-Abuja expressway Thursday, NEMA’s North-West Zonal Coordinator, Musa Illalah, said such campaigns have tremendously contributed to reduction in road crashes during the yuletide seasons on our highways.

“This is an annual event we organize at this time of the year to sensitize drivers on safe driving. In this Eid-Maulud, Christmas and New Year celebrations it is important to. We are always supporting the Federal Road Safety Commission whose mandate is to oversee the roads and the road users.

“We think we have an obligation as the agency charged with the responsibility of managing disasters to support any safety campaign. These campaigns have tremendously contributed to reduction in road crashes during the yuletide seasons on our highways.

“Specifically, these campaigns and support the suppport NEMA is rendering is targeting and extended to all the four entry points to Kaduna. That is the Kaduna-Abuja highway, Kaduna-Kachia highway, Kaduna-Zaria highway and the Kaduna-Birnin highway.

“We intend to be on these roads within between now and the next seven days to provide the needed support to FRSC so that together we can minimize the rates of accidents on our roads.

“It is a known fact that we witness more loss of lives on road accidents in this country than in any other emergency we have. And that is why the FRSC has a very big mandate further watch the extensive road networks we have in this country. All the government agencies, individuals and private bodies in this country should support the FRSC in to achieve this mandate because they cannot do it alone,” he said.

In his remarks, the unit commander of FRSC Kakau in Kaduna, Ademola Obafemi, called on drivers to avoid over speeding, drinking and overloading. He said that such acts exacerbate road crashes.

He commended NEMA for always supporting them in the campaign, saying that their support and partnership has always yielded positive results.

December 24, 2015
NLC: Long road to peace

The internal crisis rocking the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) may soon end. A seven-man reconciliatory committee is on the verge of striking a peace deal between NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba and his arch opponent Comrade Joe Ajaero. CHIKODI OKEREOCHA reports.

The nine-month old leadership crisis rocking the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) will soon be over. The warring factions of Ayuba Wabba and Joe Ajaero have agreed to sheathe their swords and embrace peace in the interest of workers.

Since February, the NLC has been embroiled in a crisis after its botched election that was to hold during its 11th Delegates’ Conference at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. The election was marred by allegations of corruption in the NLC Kriston-Lally Housing project and multiple balloting during voting. Since then, the Congress has been in the eye of the storm, with two persons laying claim to its leadership.

However, baring last minute changes, the two factions may sign a peace agreement this week, to end the feud. Indications to this emerged after a joint meeting of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the factions involving mainly presidents and general secretaries of their affiliates on Friday, November 20, at the Labour House, Abuja.

The meeting, it was learnt, was a fall-out of the November 12 meeting hosted by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and other veterans, including pioneer NLC President Comrade Hassan Sunmonu. The Nation exclusively gathered that, at the meeting, a seven-man Reconciliatory Committee set up by the veterans was given the nod to prepare a peace document that will be signed by the warring parties.

Before the meeting, NLC veterans led by Comrade Oshiomhole are said to have mounted intense pressure on leaders of both factions to tow the line of peace. A source close to the NLC told The Nation that before the meeting, the veterans had made up their minds on the issue of unity of the labour movement other than looking at the causes of the crisis and had communicated same to leaders of both factions.The veterans are said to have impressed it on leaders of the factions that they suffered to build the movement and they can’t see it being destroyed.

According to the source, the Reconciliatory Committee may this week present a peace agreement to the joint meeting of the factional leaders to sign. The concern within labour circles, however, is that while the agreement would restore peace and unity, the Congress is likely going to have unity without justice since the initiators of the peace deal are not interested in investigating the causes of the crisis.

“We see these veterans looking for peace at all cost, but as we speak now none of them has sighted the ballot papers to know whether they are real or wrong. No investigation to ascertain the allegations of rigging and other manipulations. The veterans are just saying let us come together.

“If for the first time in our history, the issue of corruption is clear even before the election and the issue of rigging during the election; all these have been identified and everybody acknowledges them and you fail to address it, that will be very dangerous for the movement if people who committed impunity through rigging and other manipulations to achieve power are allowed to go scot free,” the source said.

Besides, he said the main problem is how to address the issues of the state councils. His words: “The problem is that each factions conducted valid election in the state and produced officers. They passed through every constitutional requirement to conduct their elections. There was no issue of disagreement or protest. How the state councils are addressed will go a long way in addressing the unity issue.”

While emphasising that there is need to address all the issues that led to the crisis, he said: “When you have unity without justice you are just postponing the evil day. It is because of the love some of us have for the veterans. It is not as if the constitution provided any role for them before now. Suddenly we started listening to them and they are telling us we don’t want NLC to break.”

November 27, 2015
Senators’ road ordeal in Abia

A fact-finding mission of members of a Senate ad hoc committee to Abia State reveals how deep and frightening the erosion and poor federal roads are, reports UGOCHUKWU UGOJI-EKE

At some locations, they could peer into the abyss created by erosion. At other points it was practically impossible to continue their journey. The roads are unspeakably bad, the erosion sites frightening.

The trip by members of a Senate ad hoc Committee on Works to assess federal roads and erosion sites in Abia State was revealing. The mission shaped up following a motion by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa drawing attention to the horrors of poor federal roads and dangerous erosion locations in the state. The committee members’ trip to Abia was therefore to see things for themselves and bring back a report to the chamber in Abuja. Perhaps, if things were as bad as Ohuabunwa claimed, the Senate could initiate efforts to tackle the disasters once and for all.

So, off they went, led by Senator Barnabas Gemade. Senators Uche Ekwunife, Bassey Albert, Matthew Urohido and Clifford Odia, Mao Ohuabunwa and Theodore Orji were on the trip.

Abia residents have been complaining about broken federal roads and the hazards of erosion for years. The ever-worsening gully erosions have swept off farmlands and even some houses and other structures.

The senate committee members were prevented from continuing the inspection of Ohafia-Arochukwu Road because a truck was stuck at a gully erosion point, blocking the road.

The truck was stuck at Ania Ohafia in Arochukwu Local Government Area of the state and forced the committee members to stop further inspection of the bad situation of the roads including environmental degradation to enable them make proper assessment of the roads and erosion sites they came to see.

They made a U-turn to inspect the serious erosion site on Elu Amuke Ohafia before proceeding to Oruruala Isiukwuato, a major erosion menace that has devastated the area over years and defied all governments from President Olusegun Obasanjo till date.

Before the ad hoc committee set out from Umuahia, the state capital, the Senator for Abia Central and immediate past governor of the state Senator Theodore Orji took the members to the Ahia Orie Ette erosion site that has posed serious threat to Umuahia.

Speaking after the inspection visits, Senator Gemade observed the magnitude of the problem and the reactions of the people, saying that their visit was sequel to the motion moved on the floor of the Senate by Senator Ohuabunwa for Abia North which compelled the senate to direct the inspection visits to some states beginning with Abia.

Gemade said “Truly I have seen with my eyes the deplorable condition of the Arochukwu Road which is a federal road; the committee will do all in its power by taking the problem to the ecological office and we are sure that something will be done.

“It will no longer be business as usual as change has come, we pray that the economy of the country will be able to carry the project, the people should not be allowed to continue to suffer, even as bad roads are not peculiar to Abia alone.”

He remarked that the problem was not new, only that this time the federal government under President Muhammadu Buhari was resolved to effect change through physical action and not pledges and promised the people that his committee will make its recommendations to the senate and assured the people that succor is on the way.

He urged the people to continue to have some patience pledging that his committee will make strong recommendation to the senate to cause due attention to be paid on the sites and praised Senator Ohuabunwa for drawing the senate attention to the problem very shortly after his inauguration as senator from the state.

Senator Ohuabunwa in his remarks appreciated the senate for its quick reaction to his motion by constituting an ad hoc committee to undertake the visit and urged the senate and the federal government to immediately act on the report of the inspection and the committee

recommendations towards addressing the problem permanently.

In a memo addressed to the chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, the state Ministry of Works pleaded with the chairman to prevail on the relevant authority to appropriate adequately to rehabilitate federal roads in the state.

The memo signed by the Permanent Secretary Richard Nwala said, “The level of dilapidation of the federal roads in the state has caused the Abia government to write the Federal Government severally, including requests for permission to take up the construction of some of them

using State fund, despite the state’s lean resources.

The requests for permission were made on rehabilitation of Port-Harcourt Road Aba, Aba-Owerri road and Aba-Ikot Ekpene road which are no longer passable”, and went ahead to listed 16 other Federal Road Projects whose rehabilitation contracts , were awarded and abandoned at different points.

It would be recalled that the collapsed state of federal roads and serious erosion sites in Abia North especially at Isuikwuato, Ohafia, Bende and other local government areas in the state had become challenges to succeeding senators and Reps Members of the area including the Presidents of the country.

Less than two months after he became the member for Arochukwu/Ohafia Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Uko Nkole raised similar motion in the house drawing the members’ attention to the Ohafia-Arochukwu Road which he said had prevented sons and daughters of the area from coming home for their 2015 New Yam cultural feasts.

Hon Nkole had in several occasions tried to draw the attention of the federal government to the deplorable condition of the federal roads in Abia North zone where his constituency is situated, and the suffering of his constituents and their inability to evacuate their farm

produce.

He noted that his constituents have been suffering for years and pleaded with the federal government to come to the aid of his people and save them from further devastation from both erosion and deplorable condition of federal roads in his area, stressing that both the state and federal governments have a lot to benefit when the roads and erosion sites are worked upon.

November 6, 2015
Enugu road projects take off

Heavy-duty vehicles and other construction equipment have been deployed to various road project sites in Enugu State, marking the take-off of contracts recently awarded by the Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi administration. This has raised the hopes of residents of communities where the roads are.

Yet, not everyone is happy. Some communities have expressed their displeasure that the 5km Ebeano By-pass commissioned in 2006 has been abandoned. Members of the Ezinato Nsude in Udi council protested the take-off of a new by-pass, saying the old one has been left unattended to.

The community staged a peaceful march insisting that work should continue on the old one as the 6 culverts and bridges on the road have been completed.

The by-pass was flagged off by former President Olusegun Obasanjo during a working visit to Enugu in October 2006.

The project was abandoned by the last administration of Sullivan Chime as a result gully erosion devastated the road.

•The abandoned by-pass

But the state Commissioner for Works, Patrick Ikpenwa said the government went for the wiser option of embarking on an entirely new by-pass because the old one has been badly eaten by gully erosion.

He said for government to return to the old one would mean emptying the state revenue into a bottomless pit.

“We weighed the two options and decided to go for a new one. We met with the communities affected and explained the situation to them. It was a meeting the governor spoke to the traditional rulers of the communities and they reasoned along the same line with government and approve,” the commissioner explained.

And the Enugu Urban Renewal Committee led by its chairman, Chris Offor, visited some of the roads including the 9th mile by-pass being undertaken by government to ascertain the level of commitment of the contractors in mobilising to sites to commence work.

Addressing the residents of the area who were happy to experience the development, the committee Chairman told them that their visit was in line with the directive of the sate governor to ensure that contractors handling the roads mobilize to site to commence work immediately.

He disclosed that the governor was in a hurry to commence action on the roads and is equally committed to develop the entire state through aggressive urban and rural development programmes that will open up economic opportunities in the state as well alleviate the sufferings of the people.

Committee chairman noted that the early commencement of construction works at the eight awarded roads was a welcome development which goes a long way to showcase the seriousness of the present administration to bring meaningful development to the doorsteps of the electorate.

Residents, who were on ground when the committee visited, expressed delight over the determination of the Governor to fulfill his campaign promises to the people of the state in spite of the economic challenges in the country, saying he is “a man of his words”.

They said that the commencement of the reconstruction of Abakpa-Nike and Nike lake roads, the Opi-Nsukka dual carriage road, the 9th mile corner bypass, among others, was a good omen for the state and an indication that governor Ugwuanyi means business and is sensitive to the plight of the people.

They assured the governor of their readiness to make sacrifices and collaborate with government to ensure the success of the projects, to ease traffic congestion in the area.

November 6, 2015
How I survived road accident, by Obasanjo

Ex-president relives anxious moment

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday spoke on his accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Saturday, saying he had a lucky escape.

Reliving how it all happened, Chief Obasanjo said the accident was caused by a burst tyre.

He said he was on his way to attend the 80th birthday celebrations of billionaire businessman Chief Kessington Adebutu in Lagos.

A statement by his media aide, Vitalis Ortese, reads: “The Office of … Obasanjo wishes to clarify that he is hale, hearty and away in Abidjan, Cote Ivoire, where he is observing the Presidential Elections holding in that country.

“The office also wishes to confirm, that on Saturday, October 24, 2015, Obasanjo was indeed involved in an accident on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, after Sagamu roundabout, while he was on his way to join in the celebrations of the 80th birthday anniversary of Chief Adebutu in Tinubu Methodist Church, Lagos.

“The vehicle, he was travelling in suffered a burst left tyre at the rear and swerved several times but did not hit any curb or any car in front or behind until it did a 180-degree turn and faced where it was coming from, and he had to change vehicles.

“Obasanjo wishes to convey his deep appreciation to all those, who by way of calls, personal messages and prayers, and indeed members of the general public, who have shown overwhelming concern about his welfare.”

The deteriorating road has been a source of worry to the public.

It takes longer time to travel on it because of huge craters.

Trailers, trucks and other heavy duty vehicles fall on it at will, causing heavy taffic.

During its eight-year tenure – 1999 – 2007 – the Obasanjo administration did not do anything to rehabilitate the road.

The late President Umaru Yar’Adua, who succeeded him, awarded contract for the road’s rehabilitation to Bi-Courtney, but its execution was stalled by disagreement between the government and the concessionaire.

But former President Goodluck Jonathan cancelled the concession and awarded the job to Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) and Julius Berger.

Yesterday, Mr. Hakeem Olopade, a director of Motorways Asset Limited, which is working with the Federal Ministry of Works on the “delivery of a fully-enhanced Lagos-Ibadan express road”, said the tempo of work would soon increase with the re-dedication of all stakeholders to its completion on schedule.

Speaking with reporters in Lagos, Olopade said the need for due process, enhancements to earlier design and nature had been responsible for the slow pace of work on “the novel PPP-structured road.”

Olopade, who is also the Executive Director (Projects) at The Infrastructure Bank (TIB), the government’s fund arrangers for the N167 billion project, said the road remained the most crucial highway in the transport sector, and cannot be abandoned.

TIB, he said, had successfully raised the “Tranche I” of the financing of the project in line with the expectations of the government and other stakeholders; the “Tranche II” is currently being arranged.

He said the stakeholders would maximise efficiency gains in the construction phases of the project to ensure its completion to time and budget.

Olopade said financial obligations and commitments were being kept in order to keep the contractors on site while the stakeholders finalise the new designs and geometric drawings, adding: “The necessary development studies are also being finalised in good time ahead of full construction work resumption soon”.

Arrangement of funds for the project, he said, was “slightly slowed down by legal conundrum” caused by the 2012 termination of the former concessionaire agreements on the road.

Olopade said: “The rains have also recently affected full blown construction activities as some asphalt works have to be suspended till the dry season.”

The lost construction grounds, he said, would be covered by Julius Berger Plc and RCC after the rains.

Julius Berger Plc handles the six-lane Sagamu Interchange and Lagos end of the road; RCC is handling the 84-kilometre Sagamu – Ibadan (Ojoo interchange).

October 26, 2015
Faleke begins road rehabilitation

Mr. James Abiodun Faleke, running mate to the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu, has begun the rehabilitation of the Mopamuro-Isanlu Road in Yagba East Local Government.

The road, which connects five local governments and links Kogi with Kwara State, has, for years, been in a bad condition.

Faleke, according to a statement in Lokoja, embarked on the rehabilitation to ease movement.

He was quoted as saying that it was unfair for the Yagba Federal Constituency to have been cut off because of bad road network, which the authority in the state was less concerned about. Faleke noted that it was time the people’s representatives woke up from their slumber.

He said the bad road had impoverished residents.

Faleke said the neglect of the strategic road linking Yagba with Ilorin under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration at the national and state levels was a testimony that the party had no good plan for the constituents.

October 26, 2015
Road crashes: FRSC seeks partnership

To succeed in its drive to minimise crashes, if not eliminate it, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has appealed for support from other military and paramilitary institutions. This, it said, would enable it to check indiscipline by motorists and other road users.

RS.2 Zonal Commander Nse-Obong Charles Akpabio, made this submission after a meeting with the senior military and paramilitary officers at Idiroko Border, Ogun State, during his familiarisation/working visit to the area.

He said: “The visit was part of my responsibilities of carrying out FRSC functions under my jurisdiction. This will enable me to interface with personnel of the corps, security agencies and other stakeholders for more collaboration.”

Akpabio thanked the security agencies and stakeholders for their strong synergy and support since the establishment of the Corps 27 years ago. He, however, urged for more partnership, saying it is impossible for any agency to stand alone and deliver good services. He said safety should not be left for road safety administration and management agency only, as it is the collective responsibility of every well-meaning individual and organisation in the country.

“For any agency to achieve its set goals, it requires the strong support from other government agencies in the course of dissemination of vital information, sharing of intelligence and enhances collaborations that would enable them to achieve a common goal for national development.

“FRSC has discovered, through researches, that road crashes are preventable. It can be minimised or reduced. No matter how bad or worse our roads are the level of crashes that would occur on them would be based on how bad the motorists used the road. It has been discovered that 80 per cent of road crashes are caused by motorists who care less about safety or precautionary standards.”

He appealed to motorists to embrace the culture of defensive driving and shun recklessness while driving.

“Road crashes do not discriminate between ages and class. Nobody has immunity of road crashes. Therefore, drive responsibly for you to get to your destination safely,” he said.

Akpabio urged motorists to always consider other road users as insane once they are driving.

He appealed to uniformed men to avoid driving against traffic whenever the road is congested because they want to get to their destinations faster, advising them to consider the safety of other road users.

He also urged them to always comply with traffic rules and regulations to enable them to show good example to other citizens. He noted that everyone has a role to play in the bid of eradicating the crashes in the country.

He said if everyone can play individual role on daily basis, there is possibility of redeemed the nation from the incessant crashes.

He pleaded that there should be commitment on the part of the personnel on the issue of road safety, even as he urged all officers to embark on training and re-training of their drivers and ensure their drivers possessed a valid driver’s license before allowing them to drive. He said driving license is the only certificate that permits any driver to drive on the road.

“No company or agency’s identity card can be translated to be driver’s license,” he said.

He urged the officers to shun patronage of touts or giving money to FRSC personnel for procurement of driver’s licence, whoever does that should definitely expect fake.

Akpabio urged all vehicle owners to follow due process of obtaining the new number plate. He said vehicles’ number plates are now registered on vehicles’ owner name instead of the vehicles. This, he said, would enable the Corps and other security agencies to trace stolen vehicles or any vehicle that committed taffic or other crimes on the road.

Akpabio pledged FRSC’s regular visit to the Idiroko Command and to train the officers on how to verify the original driver’s licence and number plates.

Responding, the Customs Area Comptroller, Mr. Haruna Mamud, thanked the Zonal Commander for the visit and the enlightenment. He appealed to the officers to continue their supports to the Corps to enable it to tackle causes of crashes on the roads.

He enjoined all officers to comply with traffic rules and regulations while on duty.

October 21, 2015
Lagos begins massive road repairs

Several roads in Lagos, including those built by the Federal Government, have been in bad condition due to several factors. The state of the roads has resulted in undue hardship for road users and other commuters who spend hours in gridlocks. But bad roads may soon be a thing of the past as the state government has launched a massive road maintenance project following a directive by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. JOSEPH JIBUEZE reports.

Residents of Ikotun/Ejigbo area of Lagos State will not forget in a hurry the hardship they had to endure for years passing through the Ikotun-Ejigbo-Isolo Road. Those who live in Okota area also have similar sad tales to tell. Protracted gridlocks caused by bad roads were common, but road users in those areas are beginning to heave a sigh of relief.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode paid an unscheduled visit to the area, describing the state of the roads as unacceptable. He assured residents of a face lift.

The result of his promise is that the deplorable portions from Egbe Bridge to Ikotun have disappeared, while work is ongoing on the remaining bad portions, most of which have been levelled to make movement easier.

On the Ago Palace Way in Okota, the General Manager, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Li Bing, said the rehabilitation will be completed in three months.

He spoke when the road was inspected by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Mr Ajibade Bade-Adebowale.

During the inspection, Governor Ambode said he received distress calls on the roads’ condition. He said he went “to see things for myself”.

“The road is too strategic as it serves as a major link road connecting several local government areas. Hence, it cannot be left at the state it is currently,” he said of the Ikotun-Ejigbo Road.

•LSPWC men at work

He said the Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) had been mobilised to provide palliatives to ease gridlocks often experienced along the corridor.

Ambode added that the state government would provide some degree of respite and succour for the people, adding that his administration “will never take people and any part of the state for granted.”

In line with that directive, the LSPWC, on Wednesday last week, formally launched what it called “Operation Fix the Potholes” project.

It will involve repairing bad spots on major roads within the metropolis. The project, which is already ongoing in various parts of the state, was officially inaugurated at Berger with road repairs around the axis.

General Manager of LSPWC, Ayotunde Sodeinde said Governor Ambode directed that all roads in Lagos, including those belonging to the Federal Government, must be fixed.

•Sodeinde

According to Sodeinde, repairs will be done at night in areas with heavy traffic. Roads with light traffic will be fixed during the day to ease vehicular movement.

Sodeinde took journalists on a tour of some roads undergoing major reconstruction, such as Metalbox Road, which connects Wemco and Acme roads in Ikeja.

He said: “We’ve been waiting for a favourable weather, although we’ve done a lot of roads already. By the time we finish the operation, we would have touched 192 roads.

“A lot of our roads have pot holes but we’ll fix them. We’re going to do it across Lagos. Where we discover that we cannot use asphalt, such as water-logged areas that won’t allow asphalt to stay, we’ll use paving stones.

“We want to guarantee residents of Lagos that we won’t stop until all pot holes are covered. It’s what we’ll be doing everyday and you will be seeing the results soon. We’re working in areas with light traffic during the day. But where there is usually heavy traffic during the day, the work will be done at night.

“We’ve been doing federal roads. To our governor, all roads being plied by lagosians must be fixed. There is no distinction between federal, state or local government roads. He asked us to “attack” all the roads because he wants to ensure that he alleviates the suffering of lagosians,” Sodeinde said.

Asked to name some of the roads to be repaired, Sodeinde said virtually every road in Lagos with pot holes or bad spots that restrict free flow of traffic will be touched.

“Hardly will you see a road in Lagos without a pot hole. So, we’re going to visit everywhere and ensure that we erase all the pot holes,” he said.

The LSPWC boss called for the co-operation of all residents, saying: “we can’t see everything. Although we have people who inspect or monitor the roads, road users can also contact us.”

He said residents can contact LSPWC with information on roads in need of urgent repairs via its email: enquiries@lspwc-ng.com or his phone number: 08023131820. Road users can also submit complaints via its website: www.lspwc-ng.com.

Sodeinde urged residents to avoid pouring water, washing vehicles, servicing cars, or burning firewood or charcoal on tarred roads.

He said: “Water and petroleum products are not friendly to asphalt. People who sell roasted plantain, maize, akara (bean cake) should not do it on the road because fire is not good for asphalt.”

He said the agency has received several complaints regarding the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, and that work was already ongoing on the road.

“Even though it is a federal road, I can assure you that we have moved into that road,” he said.

Already, people are beginning to appreciate the governor’s intervention. Residents of Ejigbo and Ikotun areas of Lagos have commended Ambode on the commencement of repair works of Ikotun-Ejigbo-Isolo and Okota roads, which had been a nightmare for motorists.

The Ekerin of Isolo, Chief Samina Lawal, praised the governor for the action and appealed for speedy execution of the project.

An Igbo leader in Lagos, Kanayo Osondu urged the government to consider a total rehabilitation of the road, while admitting that the palliative work has reduced travel time from Ago Roundabout to Cele-Express.

Osondu said: “Before this palliative work, we usually spend about one hour to move from ago roundabout to Cele bus stop, but since the road was repaired, it takes just about five minutes to get to Cele Express. It is a good measure for traffic to flow.

“You know that people going to Ikotun-Egbe, Jakande Estate and Ijegun all ply through Cele and the traffic is always heavy. We thank the governor for this quick intervention.

“But then, if nothing concrete is done, by the time rain comes again, it would wash away the palliative measure taken. It is better the contract is awarded so that a permanent solution can be put in place,” he said.

The immediate past chairman of Ejigbo Local Council Development Area, Kehinde Bamigbetan, said people of the area are excited that within months of Ambode’s administration, he could promptly come to their aid.

He pointed out that the road could not cater for the high population living in the area, which makes its repair and maintenance imperative.

LSPWC has vowed to ensure that the governor’s vision is realised. Sodeinde said: “The LSPWC is an agency charged with the primary responsibility of maintaining and rehabilitating state roads.

“Having creditably done this for almost 30 years, evidence of the corporation’s work is all over various communities in the city and suburbs of the state.

“Lagos State’s peculiar topography, population and general environmental characteristics make the task of making all roads motorable a daunting one. However, members of staff of the corporation are ready, willing and able to give all it takes to succeed against all odds,” he said.

October 14, 2015
Community laments poor road

Residents of Eha-Alumona community in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State lamented the disrepair of a road which links them with other communities in the state.

They urged the state and federal governments to fix the only road in order to ease business.

•Some parts of the road

The poor condition of the 14km road has for long adversely affected the people in the area.

One of the road users, Mike Ekeh said that the deplorable condition of the road was due to the lackadaisical attitude of the representatives of the area in the House of Assembly and at the National Assembly.

He said, “The road is very bad and it is a clog in the wheel of our development in this community. Access road is the major problem in the development of this community. This road has been like this for decades. Each time one government comes they promise to construct it, but all to no avail. Till now we have seen no positive development…To some extent peasant farmers who produce agricultural products like yam, palm oil and other cash crops do not make much profit from their products, owing to the fact that they pay heavily for transportation, due to inaccessibility of the road. At times you just store the products till they get rotten. But we do believe that the incumbent governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi will do something about it.”

ýSimilarly, a businessman in the area Mr. Charlse Eneje said,

“The first thing the governor should do is to construct this road because there is no road in Enugu State worse than it.”

October 2, 2015