The Nation Newspaper

Tag: roads

  • Rep want FG to rehabilitate bad roads

    The House of Representatives on Wednesday urged the Federal Government to immediately commence palliative measure to rehabilitate the bad portions of the Ikorodu-Shagamu and Ikorodu-Ijebu Ode roads.

    This followed a motion moved by Barrister Jimi Benson (APC – Ikorodu federal constituency) which was unanimously adopted. Benson said that the roads are in a pitiable condition and that motorists were passing through harrowing experience.

    The lawmaker said that the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) had abandoned the two inter-state roads in spite of several efforts to get the federal government to hearken to the yearnings of millions of road users over the years.

    He said that most sections of the international highways were failing thereby creating hurdles and gully-like potholes at various sections of the road. The legislator noted that the situation had resulted to vehicular break down, traffic gridlock and encourages driving against traffic which has brought untold hardships on car owners and commuters.

    According to Benson, “the Ikorodu-Shagamu and Ikorodu-Itokin-Ijebu-Ode highways connecting Lagos and Ogun State from two different angles are vital trunk ‘A’ roads that are of vital economic importance to the citizens of the two states in particular, and Nigerians who occasionally ply the roads in general.

    The roads constructed over forty years ago have been in deplorable state, efforts at rehabilitating them had been half-hearted and produced poor quality work; and this is one of the 17 roads and bridges across 15 states approved by the Federal Executive Council on December 3, 2014, at over N430.5billion with the assertion that N21 billion as at then was available to kick-start the projects.

  • Lagos plans reconstruction of Ladipo market road

    Lagos plans reconstruction of Ladipo market road

    Lagos State Government on Sunday indicated plans to reconstruct the popular Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market Road and other connecting roads to enhance vehicular movement within the axis.
    The plan was disclosed when government officials inspected some road networks in the Papa Ajao and Ladipo Spare Parts Market areas in Mushin and Oshodi/ Isolo Local Government Areas of the State with a commitment to commence rehabilitation that would make the roads motorable.
    Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Bamgbose-Martins who led the inspection said plans are underway to get the contractor working on the Daleko Road back on site to finish the remaining portions of the road.
    “We need to get the contractor back on site, have them fill it up at least so that it becomes motorable”, he said.
    Martins who was joined by the General Manager, Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Ayotunde Sodeinde, the Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna and other officials of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, said palliative measures would be applied by the Public Works Corporation on other roads and craters in the Papa Ajao area.
    On the state of Ladipo Market Road, he ruled out the option of carrying out palliative work saying that what the road needs is total reconstruction.
    “One of the things you would observe here is that the road here is gone, in terms of standard road, it’s gone. It’s not a case for palliative; it’s not a case for patching. This is a case where the road has to be totally reconstructed.
    “In other words, we need to redesign it to fit into the habits and the use that is here. It’s a market. There are rocks here, so it is still motorable, even if it rains, it is motorable. So PWC can’t come here and put asphalt because it’s not going to last. If they put asphalt, the next rain, it will wash off,” he said.
    He however said the State will list the road in its plan of work for next year as some other roads in the State need urgent attention.
    “It is still passable now, but what we need here is a full construction. When we are going to do anything, we are going to redesign it and then we have to reconstruct from the beginning, that’s the situation here, but for now, at least it’s motorable”.
    “If we allow Public Works Corporation (PWC) come in here, we would just come and waste resources, but we’ll redesign it. We’ll probably take the option of using concrete pavement, we call it reinforced concrete, rigid pavement and the reason why we consider that is because there’s a market here and what it means is that heavy vehicles will come here, you’re going to have tankers, trailers come in here with heavy axle loading”.
    “Some of them would even park here. Any road here that we don’t put in a lasting solution will fail. So this would be one of the things we would begin to look at next year, it’s not going to be an immediate thing, but between now and then we’ll do the design of the road. Even the soil effect is affected, we’ll have to rip it off and do it all over again”.
    He cautioned the traders in Ladipo Market area against parking containers and articulated vehicles on the roads, saying the roads are not designed for such heavy stationery load.
    “The roads are not designed for trailers to park on them. This is what we saw when we went to Apapa. You have trailers parking on the Bridges permanently and that’s what you call static loading, it’s not designed for that. The bridge won’t collapse, but overtime, there’ll be fatigue. The same thing that can happen to the bridge, can also happen to the roads,” he said.

  • Ogun begins rehabilitation of roads

    The Ogun State government has begun the rehabilitation of the 20km Ago –Ika – Adatan Road in Abeokuta North Local Government Area.

    It has also started the clearing of drainages in Ijebu –Ode.

    The road, which is being rehabilitated by the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, was built 20 years ago.

    Speaking with reporters after inspecting the road, the Permanent Secretary, Kayode  Ademolake ,said ministry officials would also begin repair of the main entrance at the Sagamu-Benin Road after the completion of the drainage clearing in Ijebu-Ode.

    He said his ministry would equally rehabilitate the Ajegunle township road in Sagamu.

    “What we are doing on these roads is what I can call permanent restoration; it is not going to be palliative. The materials that are being deposited at these roads are such that cannot be moved by water and you will realise that the drainages are being simultaneously cleared.”

     

  • Lagos begins repair works on 90 roads

    Lagos begins repair works on 90 roads

    The Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) has commenced maintenance and rehabilitation work on 90 roads across the metropolis.

    Chairman of the Corporation, Mr. Ayotunde Shodeinde, said the need to fix the roads became necessary following the devastating state of the road due to heavy down pour witnessed recently in the state.

    He said the roads earmarked for repair are those with high vehicular movement, including commercial vehicles used by large number of commuters.

    Shodeinde, said the State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode was concerned about the state of the roads and has directed the corporation to commenced work immediately.

    “We cannot continue to blame weather condition for the hardship being caused our people by potholes”, he said, adding that “the corporation will take advantage of any dry period to quickly move to site and carry out maintenance operations be it during the day or night time”.

    While appealing to Lagosians for more patience on their road maintenance needs, he said the Corporation’s operations will assume a more robust dimension which will enable a greater number of Lagosians to feel its impact, especially when the rains wind up.

    Already, road maintenance work has commenced on some of the roads earmarked for repairs, they include Dopemu Road, Agege, Ojo road, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Old Abeokuta road, Agege, Iyana Ipaja-Egbeda Road, Alimosho, Shasha Road, Alimosho, Old Ojo Road, Kuye Amuwo-Odofin, Mowo-Ikoga Road, Badagry, Osho Road and Olubote Street in Epe, Lagos-Abeokuta Express way (Abule-Toll gate axis), Obafemi Awolowo way, Ikeja and Oyemekun road, Ifako-Ijaye.

    Also, listed for maintenance are Ipaja Road, AP-Alagba, Agege, Kikrikiri Road, Olodi, Apapa, Ikotun-Igando Road, Alimosho, Ikotun-Egbe Road, Alimosho, Liverpool Road, Apapa, Badagry, Ketu-Ejinrin Road, Epe, Ogunnusi Road, Ojodu-Ogba, Ikeja, Alausa roads Network, Ikeja, Allen Avenue/Opebi Road, Ikeja, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway (Cement-Ile Zik Axis) and Owolegbon Street, Atunrase Estate, Gbagada Ph1, Kosofe.

    Others to be fixed include Aradagun-Ajido-Iworo road, Badagry, Ajah-Ado-Badore Road, Eti-Osa, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Ojo-Igbede Road, Ojo, Agege Motor Road, Mushin, Herbert Macaulay Way, Lagos Mainland, Bush/Ajike Faromobi/Thomas Laniyan/Anthony Village Road, Kosofe, Itire-Mushin Road, Surulere, Tokunbo Street, Lagos-Island, Apapa Road, Ebute-Meta, Lagos Mainland, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway (Abule Egba-Toll Gate Axis) and Agege Motor Road, Ladipo-Cappa Axis.

    The maintenance activities, Shodeinde said, will be carried out using either Asphalt premix or paving stones and other palliative measures, all in an attempt to improve the motoring experience of Lagosians.

  • Sanity on Lagos roads

    The Eighth Lagos State House of Assembly at its first plenary yesterday passed a resolution, calling on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to direct relevant agencies to sanitise the gridlock on roads.

    The resolution followed a motion by Lanre Ogunyemi ( Ojo II), stating that road users on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway have been undergoing harrowing experience due to on-going reconstruction of the road.

    The lawmaker added that the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) should brace to carry out palliative measures on the road to ensure that sanity is restored.

    Bisi Yusuff (Alimosho I), who is a co-sponsor of the motion, said “Even law enforcement agents do drive against traffic. The corridors dedicated for Lag Bus and BRT are now being plied by other motorists. Law enforcement agents must be drafted to such areas to restore sanity.”

  • Plateau’s many roads of pains

    Plateau’s many roads of pains

    The hopes of residents of Jos, the Plateau State capital, with regard to good infrastructure were buoyed with several road projects begun by ex-Governor Jonah Jang. When he flagged off some road projects, especially at the twilight of his tenure, residents were confident that in no time, the problem of inadequate roads in the city would be in the trashcan of history. But YUSUF AMINU IDEGU writes that contrary to their expectations, the residents are experiencing hardship due to the many uncompleted roads.

    At the moment, Jos, the Plateau State capital is a ghost of itself. The city has lost its beauty, its attractions, its allure, its nature. The city has fallen short of been at its best. The current sorry situation of the famous Tin City was necessitated by what residents described as ‘bad government policies and misplacement of priority’ by the immediate past administration of Jonah David Jang.

    The immediate past administration left the city in a very bad shape with a good number of uncompleted projects scattered all over the city. Though the lists of uncompleted projects are unlimited, the one that is causing severe pains to residents of the city is the road projects; particularly that which commenced from the Secretariat Junction at Yakubu Gowon Way through to Maraba Jamaa Round-about. The road project cut across the city centre of Jos and remained the longest and most popular street in the city.

    Jos is a city that has no ring road that takes visitors and motorists out of the city with ease. This implies that motorists that must travel through Jos city to another destination must pass through Yakubu Gowon Way. The village “Maraba Jamaa”, where the road begins means “Welcome to Jos”. This means, the street leads travelers or motorists into the city centre.

    The road project, which was embarked upon at the twilight of Jang administration began in June last year. It was an unexpected expedition by an outgoing government, but residents saw the venture as a good one for the city and prayed that the administration would complete it before its tenure elapses on May 29, this year.

    The people believed the administration’s promise with regard to the completion of the project, considering the fact that it had continued to re-emphasise and assure the people that it will not leave any project uncompleted at the end of its tenure.

    In truth, the achievements of the eight-year tenure of Jonah Jang could be said to be in road projects.

    However, majority of the roads are not completed. He initiated a five kilometer road project for each of the 17 local government areas. The project began within the first two years of his first term, but some of those roads remained uncompleted till he left office.

    Given this scenario, the hardship encountered by motorists plying the city of Jos is similar to what those in the rural areas are currently experiencing. Some say the awful experience motorists go through in the rural areas as a result of abandoned road projects far outweighs that which residents experience in Jos city.

    However, given the number of vehicles that plies the roads in the city, the situation is obviously worse in the state capital. When there is no rain, the roads are dusty which makes the atmosphere constantly charged in the day. When it rains, the uncompleted roads become muddy and filled with potholes.

    While the construction of the road began in June last year, motorists endured the traffic gridlock. Everyone had to make do with one lane of the road as the second lane was closed for construction.

    People prayed the hardship would end soon. But suddenly, the construction company handling the project abandoned the site, causing road users to undergo indescribable hardship. The roundabouts under construction were worse, especially those of Old Airport Junction, Secretariat Junction, Miango Junction, Zaramaganda Junction, D B Zang Junction, Zawan Junction as well as Vom Junction.

    The abandoned road has made a mess of traffic orders. Motorists now scramble for space on the narrow lane. Some, willingly or unwillingly, go against traffic rules, by driving against traffic. This, invariably, results in traffic gridlock, as traffic warden find it taxing to make road users comply with traffic rules. Being helpless, they only standby and watch the drama as motorists out twist one another.

    The overhead bridge project initiated by the Jang administration and regarded as one of the biggest in the North Central is now an ugly sight. It is still stands uncompleted.

    Jude Maduka, a resident of Bukuru who owns a shop on Ahmadu Bello Way Jos said: “I don’t know why this man decided to punish us like this. Before, it takes one only 20 minutes to travel from Bukuru to Jos. Now it takes one an hour. One burns more fuel, wastes more time and my shock absorber gets weak faster. This is punishment of the highest order. The man should have left the road the way he met it. We don’t deserve this punishment because I pay my tax regularly.”

    Mr. Ayuba Larab of the History Department University of Jos said: “In the first place, this road project is ill-timed. Jang began this project few months to the end of his tenure. It is a huge project that would have started at the inception of that administration, but the man chose to commence the project when he was about to leave office. It shows the man never meant well for Plateau people. He lacked clear vision and he messed us up. Jang has created more than enough pains to Nigerians who ply this road. That is why the new government is on rescue mission. The entire state is in total ruin, there are more uncompleted projects than completed ones.”

    Realising the plight of road users in the city, the new government issued a statement appealing to residents to be calm and bear the pain of the situation for a short while. The statement, signed by the Director of Press Affairs, Mr. Samuel Nanle on behalf of Governor Simon Lalong reads: “The Plateau State Governor, Simon Bako Lalong is calling on all the citizens of Plateau State and particularly residents of Jos – Bukuru metropolis to please bear with government as efforts are being intensified to address the difficulties encountered driving round the city with the rains now in season.

    “The Governor understands the challenges experienced by motorists with the state of major uncompleted roads within Jos-Bukuru metropolis. The Governor is further assuring all citizens that the situation would be remedied immediately to ameliorate the difficulties the residents face. The Governor has further assured that the Transition Committee’s consultation with contractors would be intensified to ensure that a common understanding is reached with government to facilitate their immediate mobilisation to site for the continuation of the road projects which were suspended.

    “In furtherance to the above and in order to kick-start his policy of sustainable environment and urban governance, the Governor is enjoining all citizens to ensure sanitation in their neighbourhoods and the effective clearing of all drainage system so as to prevent flooding.”

    Residents are not convinced that the new government can follow through with its promise to intervene and ensure that the road projects are completed. They are of the view that there are other areas that require immediate attention from the new government. Others argue that the new government has to evaluate contracts of these contracts very carefully before jumping into completion of the projects.

    It is not only motorists that bear the brunt of the abandoned road projects.

    A resident, Mr. Yohana Lukeman said: “A lot of people are suffering due to the fact that their sources of water supply were destroyed in the course of road construction. A lot of residents have been disconnected from electricity because the road project affected the electric poles that supply light to their homes.

    Several other residents are already experiencing the challenges of flood due to uncompleted drainage systems. So, generally speaking, no one is spared of the hardship. It is not only motorists, it affects every resident.”

    Governor Lalong has begun the inspection of the road projects in the city and had visited PW, the construction firm handling the road projects.

    After the inspection, Governor Lalong said: “From the information available to me, the contractor has no reason for stopping the construction work since he has claimed 60 per cent of the contract sum from the last administration of Jonah Jang. “I have, therefore, directed the contractor to return to site and complete the road to alleviate the hardship our people are experiencing. You can’t just deface the city roads and abandon it like that for no good reason. I’m sure the contractor knows the implication of ignoring my directive on this particular project. I will not sit down here and allow citizens to continue to experience the kind of hardship for no fault of theirs. Something must be done.”

    However, there are views that the road projects were not completed due to the reduction in revenue, especially from the Federation Account as a result of the fall in global oil prices. That notwithstanding, the pains of the uncompleted intra-city roads will have to continue until it is completed by the Lalong administration.

  • Residents deplore bad roads

    The state of roads in the four local government areas of Akoko in Ondo state has become a matter of concern to indigenes.

    Residents described the development as a serious set back to the socio-economic development of the area.

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC)in Arigidi-Akoko, John Ogunleye, said many indigenes living outside the state are uncomfortable with the situation.

    He said: Many of our sons and daughters have decided to stay away from home because of the unmotorable nature of roads in Akokoland.

    “They are not happy to come home and investors have stayed away”

    Ogunleye said the Ugbe-Simerin-Epinmi Road is the worst, noting that a toll gate was erected on a bridge illegally by touts, who collect between N50 and N200 depending on the size of the vehicles.

    He said the bridge was made of wood and posed a danger to users.

    The APC chieftain said the Oke-Agbe-Afin-Ese Road  contract was awarded 16 years ago.

    “It is still the same way. Only motorcyclists can ply the road and they charge  exhorbitant fares.

    ”Ajowa-Igasi-Eriti-Omuo-Oke-Ekiti is the worst as passengers trek with loads on their heads to the markets.

    “Ikare-Oke-Agbe-Omuo and Ikun-Ipe  are also calling for quick attention.

    “There can never be meaningful development without motorable roads,the government  should emulate Ekiti with good road network.”

  • Give us good feeder roads

    Residents of Dutse Sokale in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have appealed to the chairman of the council, Hon. Peter Yohanna to construct feeder roads in the community, in order to alleviate their suffering.

    Mr. Simon Chukwu, one of the residents who spoke with our reporter lamented that state of the roads in the community is unbearable, as most of the residents suffered immeasurably.

    According to Chukwu, residents of the community have made countless appeals to the leadership of the council to provide infrastructural development for the people in the community, but not much has been done in that regard, apart from the improved power supply.

    “We really need good feeder roads in this community, because, without it, life is unbearable. Car owners in this community repair their cars on weekly basis because of the bad roads and they have no choice, since they live in the community.

    “Whenever it rains, the entire community will be in mess, to the extent that you will not be able to identify where the road is or where the pits which gully erosion has constructed are. Now that the rain is about to start, we are afraid because of the challenges we will experience,” he said.

    Isah Ishiaku, a motorcycle operator in Dutse Sokale explained that due to the deplorable state of the roads in the community, most of them get scared to ply the roads when it rains, because they often fall off from their bikes with passengers.

    “The truth is that the best thing the chairman, Hon. Peter Yohanna can do for us now is for him to give us good roads in this community. If the roads are constructed, we will have peace of mind to carry our passengers to their destinations without fear of falling into the mud,” he said.

     

  • Community craves secondary schools, roads

    Community craves secondary schools, roads

    Dwellers of Ibeju-lekki have lamented the poor state of accessing education in the community during a sensitisation programme on governance of primary school education for community stakeholders.

    The programme, which is an initiative of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in partnership with Human Development Initiative(HDI), is a four-year programme which would be done in four states – Kano, Enugu, Lagos and Abuja. It would be carried out in local government areas of the aforementioned states.

    Speaking at Ibeju-lekki Local Government Education Area, the youth leader of Arapagi, a community in Ibeju, Lasisi Morufu said the community has no secondary school, that and their children go by sea to school in a neighbouring community.

    He said:  “In Ibeju-lekki, the road leading to some areas are not motorable. The children have to cross the river before they get to school. This is a threat to life. This has discouraged some of them from going to school. There is no secondary school in Arapagi. We only have about five primary schools in this area and when these children are done with primary school, they are being posted far from home. Every morning, you will see children conveyed in a boat to cross the lagoon before they can get to school. We are all crying out to government to help us with at least a secondary school here.”

    He continued: “This river, which the children pass through, is now being dredged.  We have concentrated dredging companies and about 10 of them dredging sand from that river. Before they used to use paddle to pave their way on water but that is no longer possible because the river is getting deeper by day. This can lead to loss of lives. This community has been kicking against dredgers; we really need the government to help us.’’

    He noted the shortage of teachers in the community, adding that the problem arose because teachers posted to the area reluctantly stayed because of inaccessibility to good roads.

    “When you have a teacher handling two classes, how convenient is that let alone teaching about eight subjects for each class in a day? Teachers here are really trying their best,” he added.

    The Education Secretary, Ibeju-lekki, Olatunde Talu, who once taught in Arapagi corroborated Morufu.  Nonetheless, he hoped the sensitisation would go a long way in informing the dwellers of their role in education, and hold the government accountable for sound education.

    Participants also frowned against the non-availability of secondary schools, which they attributed to the failure of the government to address their needs.

    Rev.Taiwo Oluwole of Redeemed Church enlightened participants on the role of the councils in primary education. He said the mis-use of federal and state financial allocation for primary education, non-provision of the conducive classrooms and teaching aids, shortage of teachers, among others, were lapses which needed to be rectified for a better primary education.

    Sunday Alade, an engineer, admonished the stakeholders to complement the government’s efforts through proper utilisation and monitoring of infrastructure provided for the community’s benefit. He said communities must see education as a collective responsibility.

    He explained that children were faced with some challenges, such as lack of self-concept, lack of necessary materials, improper guidance and counselling, poor study habits, hostility of teachers to students among others.   Alade admonished parents to avail their children the opportunity to access primary education as mandatory by the Federal Government, in line with the statuted Child Right Act and Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act.

    President, Out-of-School Children Empowerment Foundation (OSCEF) an implementing partner for the USAID programme, Mr Akeem Kelani, said the programme is aimed at educating stakeholders at the grass roots and emphasise the role of local government in primary education.

     

  • APC promises to deliver Ejigbo roads

    APC promises to deliver Ejigbo roads

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Lagos State House of Assembly in Oshodi/Isolo Constituency, Hon. Ladi Ajomale, has said that he would use his position to influence massive infrastructural development in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), if elected into office.

    Ajomale made the declaration when he visited and interacted with the Igbo community in Ejigbo. He solicited for their support during the April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections, saying his first two years in office will give the LCDA a new look.

    He urged members of the community to come out in their numbers and vote the APC governorship candidate in Lagos Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and all APC candidates during the April 11 elections.

    He said that the APC has an organised structure and that it would be neccesary for the incoming governor to work with members of the House of Assembly and the local government or LCDA as well.

    This, he said, makes it easier for him to be able to meet with the governor who is the number one citizen of the state on the areas that affect the constituency he represents

    Earlier, Ambode had promised that he would develop 20 new roads in each of the 57 local government areas and LCDAs, if elected into office

    Ajomale said he would make sure that the governor keeps his word. He also promised to work with the local government chairman and closely monitor every project in Ejigbo to ensure that they are delivered. “I am going to defend the people of Oshodi/Isolo and Ejigbo and I have to make sure that I deliver as well; this is a promise I have to keep,” he added.

    According to Ajomale, there are benefits in carrying everybody along, especially in this democratic dispensation, irrespective of ethnic or religious affiliation. He added that the APC as a party that promotes progress, peace and unity cannot afford to ignore the Igbo-speaking community both at the state and local government levels.

    He said: “We are here to interact with the Igbo-speaking people in Ejigbo local council area. It is important to come and see you because we need your votes, so that we will serve you. You have the opportunity to air your views and let us know what we have to do when we get into office. It is only right to come and have an interactive session with you where you will ask questions and give us your support and definitely when we get into office we are going to work together as a unified team.

    “You have just given me the satisfaction and confidence that the coming election is going to be a success story for me and I thank you for giving me the opportunity to come and see you. By the grace of God whatever we need to do when we get into office we are going to do it together.”

    Hon. Akeem Muniru, who represents Oshodi/Isolo Constituency in the House Representatives, also thanked the Igbo community for their support and cooperation, saying that the party is committed to ensuring the welfare of everyone living in the state, including the Igbos.

    He dismissed the claim that the Yorubas don’t love Igbos, adding that both tribes accommodate each other and have been living together for a very long time.

    Muniru urged the Igbos to ignore ethnic and religious sentiments by coming out in their numbers to support the APC during the coming governorship and House of Assembly elections.