The Nation Newspaper

Tag: roads

  • Deplorable state of Apapa port roads

    SIR: “We should not be waiting until accident occurs, bridges collapse and people die to adequately fund our transportation infrastructure”. Elizabeth Esty

    Transportation lies at the heart of nation’s economic prosperity. It’s a component of an organizations ability to remain competitive through the provision of reliable and cost effective service. Reducing transportation costs impacts a company’s ability to generate profit.

    Fast forward, 10 years after and despite the commercialization of the ports in Nigeria, one critical infrastructure that has not experienced any turn-around since concession is the Apapa port roads. The total neglect by the federal government gives a lot of concerns to all stakeholders in the maritime sector. The roads are at the worst and in the most deplorable state; and the road users are the ones bearing its pangs especially workers who have to pay additional transport cost to get to work or engage in early morning endurance trek any time there is standstill which has been occurring for the past one week.

    The federal government, the watchman on the tower on these roads have gone to sleep and still sleeping. No excuse from any quarters will be tenable enough to earn any credit for such blanket abandonment. It’s a paradox that such a revenue generating sector can be so left behind despite the colossal amount of money the country earns from these ports. I have watched the trend of events over the past decade and I can see negligence of the government for not providing good access and exit roads for the Lagos port especially Apapa- Wharf. All has been a lip service year after year. So unpatriotic!

    The roads are so bad that it’s always a natural occurrence for truck-laden containers to fall at any time. Many occasions, the Apapa-Wharf is on stand still for reason of gridlock caused by bad roads. Gullies here and there on the road just like a dredging or a construction site.

    The major stakeholders in the port are Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Port Authority and are revenue receivers for the government based on their statutory functions for rent and import duties collections. Is it not possible for these two government agencies to make a case to the government at the centre for these roads? All port users expect the present Minister of Power, Works and Housing who was a former governor of Lagos where the port is domiciled to do something at the earliest time since the issue falls in his primary domain. If possible, these roads can be concessioned to a private firm to construct and manage for a specific period with contractual agreement with the government.

    In the interim, Lagos as a state can reconstruct these roads herself, present the estimates to the federal government and get her money back. Other option is for the government to go into collaboration with the five private firms operating in the Lagos Port to construct and manage these roads through their Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) or government should grant waivers on rent, give tax exemption or rebates as the case may be.

    The present situation in Apapa can be captioned in the words of Robin Williams; Why do they call it rush hour when nothing moves?

    The time to fix these roads is now and let the gremlin be broken!

     

    • Seun Falope,

    Lagos.

  • FEC okays N102.08billion, $1.79b for roads, rail, other projects

    FEC okays N102.08billion, $1.79b for roads, rail, other projects

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved N102.077 billion and $1.79 billion for roads projects across the country and rail project in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola and Minister of FCT, Bello Mohammad, spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    With them at the briefing was Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    Fashola said N80 billion was approved for 12 roads and bridges in various states including Taraba, Adamawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Bauchi, Plateau, Osun, Kwara, Kano, Oyo, Enugu, and Kaduna.

    He also said that there was approval of N150.84 million for the engineering and Consultancy design for access road 1 and 2 ?to link Asaba in Delta State and Onitsha in Anambra State to link the Second Niger Bridge project.

    “Subsequent to the award of further works of the Second Niger Bridge we have started work now by this approval on the design of the link road that will connect the two states to the bridge.

    “The design is expected to be completed in six months and we will start procurement and as the bridge advances, we can then connect the two states.” he added

    Fashola said there were also approvals for power projects?, relating to the extension of the consultancy and project management contract for the Katsina Wind Energy Farm project.

    He said: “It was awarded in 2010 and should have been completed in 2013. The expatriate who were implementing it were kidnapped and when he was eventually rescued he never came back and that delayed the project.

    “But we have revived the project, a new contracting team is back on site. The contract of the consultants representing us has expired and so we are extending his contract to cover new period of completion.” he said

    Another contract on power, which he said was approved by FEC, is the power sector recovery programme.

    He said “It’s a programme that comprises many policy actions, operational and financial interventions that needs to be carried out by government to improve transparency, service delivery, performance of DISCOS, Transmissions companies, the entire value change in order to create more viable power sector that is private sector driven.

    “Some of the highlights of the programme is how to simplify and reduce the cash deficits that have accumulated ?as a result of previous unilateral reductions of tariff by the last administration during the running of the elections, how to make the DISCOS viable, accountable, responsive to customers, ensure stability of the grid and expansion of the grid and transparency and communication within the sector.

    “And also processes for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) debts? and how to improve sector governance, our roles in the business, the quality of personnel on the board of the DISCOS, it addresses access to renewable energy especially in rural areas using mini-grids and stand alone solutions and how we are going to carry out the solutions that have been developed for 37 federal universities and seven tertiary hospitals.

    “And how to solve the Niger Delta problem and also how to ensure there is a stable and predictable foreign exchange policy for the sector so that it is somewhat protected from sudden head winds of the volatility of the foreign exchange market so that they can plan and deliver.

    “Also how to address the issue of vandalization at consumer and production levels of pipelines and so on as this will help bring confidence to the market and stimulate the appetite that currently exists globally for Nigeria’s power sector.

    “We see a lot of people who want to invest but some of them are tied to what other international financial institutions do? and the institutions are also waiting to see us commit to these things.” he said

    The FCT Minister said the Council approved three key projects for the FCT.

    He said N2.454 billion was approved for 5 kilometre road to link Ring Road III to Wasa Junction with Karshi -Ara-Apo Road.

    Approval, he said, was also given for the award of contract for Phase 2 of the Abuja Mass Transit Lot 1B (26.77km) which is from Ring Road I, passing through Area 10 beside Wuse Market, Berger Junction, Jabi Motor Park, through Life Camp to Gwagwa and also covering the remaining part of Lot 1A (5.76km).

    He said the contract also included rolling stocks, workshop equipment and three years management contract.

    He said that FEC also okayed the$1.79 billion contract awarded to China Civil Engineering and Construction Corporation (CCECC) yo be funded by China EXIM Bank.

    The Minister said that FEC approved development of infrastructure at Jahi District at the amount of N19.473 billion

  • Lalong fixes abandoned roads

    ASK residents of Angwuan Rogo, Main Market Street or Danserina-Pump Street, or even Dutse Ukwu and Yankasuwa Road, among others. They will tell you that they have suffered for too long on the roads leading to their homes.

    The roads were abandoned by successive governments of Plateau State. But redemption has come. The roads are being fixed by the administration of Governor Simon Lalong.

    In the 2016 budget, Lalong made provisions for them to be rebuilt. The contractors have moved to site and have started work on the roads.

    Commissioner for Information and Communication Mallam Nazif Muhammad who represented the governor at the site to hand over the project to the contractor, said, “Plateau Government would spend N5 billion to construct road networks in Jos metropolis. Past administrations may have overlooked this project, but state government under the leadership of Governor Simon Lalong, took the decision to alleviate the people’s suffering. It is one of the promises made by Governor Lalong during the campaign and we have decided to make the promise a reality.

    “Government believes that the state cannot boast of being a tourists haven when its road network within the metropolises is in dilapidated shape, so to boost our tourism, these roads have become a priority to government. So government will build about eight roads in Jos for the first phase, and this is expected to gulp a total of N5 billion with average distance of 7km. Only last week, we handed over two roads, the Angwan Rogo and Tudun Wada-Kabong Road.

  • Lawmaker tackles poor roads in Aba

    Lawmaker tackles poor roads in Aba

    Aba, Abia State, known for its high revenue generating profile, its commerce and small businesses, is also just as notorious for its horrible infrastructure. Its two federal constituencies, Aba North and South, host major industries and markets, Ariaria International Market, perhaps the most popular. But its roads are impassable. Other facilities are few and far between, leaving the people in pretty bad humour.

    A resident of Ngwa Road in Aba South Local Government Area, Mr. Godwin Onyeka described their situation as unfortunate, stressing that apart from food they eat, “life at Ngwa Road could best be compared with life at various IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps across the country”.

    Apart from making life miserable for the inhabitants of the two local governments especially while trying to access the city centre, the impassiable nature of Aba South, Obohia, Ohanku, Umuogele and other parts of Ngwa road has contributed to the high level of crime in the area.

    This has also adversely the response of security agencies to crime in the area. Even the fire servive struggles when responding to emergences in the Aba, no thanks to the worful roads.

    A trip to some of these areas during the rainy season would make one shed tears as residents whose shops and offices are within the city centre are subjected to all manner of stress on a daily basis because of the deplorable nature of their road.

    It was gathered that some of the Aba South residents especially those living at Ohanku, Obohia and amongst others pay thrice of the normal transportation fare to get to their homes while those at Nkwo Ngwa or Umuogele have to pay able bodied men to ferry them through the flood or stagnant water or risked being carried away by the flood.

    Recounting a 2015 experience during a heavy downpour that left many family homeless with property being swept away in the flood, Mr. Kingsley noted that they are still suffering the effect of the loss till date.

    Worried by the situation facing his constituents, the lawmaker representing Aba North and South Federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Ossy Prestige has acquired a grader and since moved into the affected areas to begin massive grading of internal and bypass roads across the constituency.

    Some of the streets and roads graded in Aba North Local Government area until the time of this report are Garden Avenue off Okigwe road, Uzonkpa/Umuobu, Railway/Salad Market avenue, Cemetery, St. Eugene, Anya Umunna off PZ, Osusu, Chibuike streets, Samuel Njoku and Imo Avenue, among other locations where work is ongoing.

    Joyous residents of Aba North including Samuel Njoku, Osusu, St. Eugene inhabitants who spoke to newsmen could not hide their joy.

    They recounted how for over a year they have resorted to using public transportation, leaving behind their luxury cars because of the impassable terrain of their residences due to the neglect from both state and local governments, even as they said that they have been paying their taxes and other levies from the state and local government authorities respectively.

    One of the residents who simply gave his name as Ifeanyi blamed past governments in the state and representatives of the Aba North and South at the Green Chamber of National Assembly for their woes, stressing that apart from Orji Kalu’s administration that tried asphalting and grading some of the internal roads in the area, subsequent government administrations were concerned with collection of revenue and failed to engage on infrastructural development project in the last  eight years, living them to groans in penury.

    Ifeanyi and others who spoke thanked Prestige for remembering them and urged him to extend such gestures to other parts of the constituency.

    They hoped that the efforts of the Abia lawmaker will go a long way in complimenting the efforts of the incumbent Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration in alleviating the sufferings of road users in the commercial town.

    In an interview, the lawmaker said that after a need assessment survey, he discovered that a lot of his constituents find it difficult to access the city center due to the impassible nature of their roads, stressing that in order to alleviate their sufferings ahead of the rainy season; he decided to embark on the project.

    Prestige who told reporters that he would have loved to asphalt the roads after the rehabilitation sighted paucity of funds as a barrier because he was using his personal money to fund the ongoing rehabilitation exercise, but added that Garden Avenue off Okigwe road, a 7.5km road project which he attracted through the federal government intervention funds would be asphalted with a good drainage system to channel water to the appropriate water channel.

    He used the opportunity to solicit his constituents’ continued prayers and assured that he old never relent in his efforts in making sure that he keep using his personal or government funds to improve their lives and attract government presence within his tenure as Aba h and South legislature.

    He said, “Aba must be fixed. In the next couple of days, I shall be bringing an investor from Korea who will come to partner shoemakers in Aba. Mr. Jacky Zhang will be coming to inspect what the shoe makers are doing in Aba, see how is going to help them improve technologically and as well, take their wares to the global scene for marketing and attracting investors with like minds.”

     

  • Lagosians, get set… 181 roads, rent-to-own flats, jobs coming

    As Lagos warms up to commemorate its landmark golden jubilee anniversary on May 27, there is huge optimism and excitement in the air. The sixth town hall of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode provides insights into what to expect and all eyes are on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to lengthen his long list of capital projects, writes WALE AJETUNMOBI

    Chief R.O Ajayi, Olumide Folami, Dr. Pascal Edomime, Yeye Dupe Ojo and Alhaja Dalemo Olukoga live in Ketu axis of Lagos State. Last Thursday, they all attended the sixth quarterly town hall meeting of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. They did not go empty handed. They went with baskets of requests.

    They urged the governor to fix roads, such as Kujore Street, Quadri-Anibaba Road and others. They also wanted a secondary school for Agiliti and Maidan communities. Their bags of requests also had spaces for a new market on available land space at Fola Ahmed Street, fixing of the Itoikin road and transformation of the Agboyi-Ketu community.

    Ambode was ready for them too. He came with plans that will see new roads, link bridges, pedestrian bridge, jobs and others being delivered to Lagosians soon.

    Last year, he announced plans by his administration to construct 114 roads in all the 57 local councils and Local Council development Authorities (LCDAs) simultaneously. He gave a timeline of in six months. There were reservations in some quarters about the possibility of fulfilling the promise.

    Time, however, proved wrong the Doubting Thomas. At the town hall meeting last week, Ambode again unfolded yet another plan, which looks insurmountable. He announced his readiness to increase the number of the roads from 114 to 181.

    Speaking at the meeting held at the Ajelogo Housing Scheme, Ajelogo Market Road, Akanimodo, Mile 12, Ambode explained the rationale behind scaling up the road improvement project.

    The governor said: “I want to pronounce here that you should watch out next week in the newspapers, we are advertising 181 roads which would be done in all our local governments.

    “What we have found out is that if we decided to continue with two, some of those roads are not linking each other to the main road, so most likely you would see that if we are supposed to do some road in some local governments, it would only make economic sense if there is a linkage. So you would see in the advert that some local governments would have like three, some would have four roads, but the average is 181 and if you divide that by 57, that would be a minimum of three roads from each local government.”

    Ambode said the choice of the roads to be constructed had been made by the local governments in conjunction with the engineers.

    The governor said the choice of Akanimodo, Mile 12 as venue for the meeting was to show that the axis had not been left behind in the developmental progress.

    He said in the last quarter, his administration kicked off its “Rent-To-Own and Rental Housing Policy” aimed at providing affordable units across the three Senatorial Districts, disclosing that there are 4,355 housing units available with over 500 applicants prequalified so far, while allocation would commence next week.

    The governor said his administration would rehabilitate the Oko-Oba Abattoir and Lairage Complex, Agege to increase meat production output, develop the red meat value chain and restructure the complex.

    Ambode unveiled plan to improve transportation in the metropolis, with the rehabilitation of roads, such as Marwa/Depot Road, Ijegun-Egba in Amuwo Odofin, 500metres-long Imeke-Ajido Bridge in Badagry, Adisa Ajibulu in Oshodi, Adisa Balogun-Igboho Street, Alapere in Kosofe Local Government as well as the signalisation and junction improvement on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

    He also said the Neighbourhood Safety Corps would become operational in this quarter with the recruitment of 5700 personnel, adding that 100 would be deployed to each local government to complement the efforts of other security agencies.

    2017, said the governor, holds great expectations for Lagos, which is set to mark its landmark Golden Jubilee on May 27.

    Urban regeneration initiatives, the governor said, will see Agric-Isawo-Arepo Road in Ikorodu, Ajelogo–Akanimodo Road Rehabilitation, Oshodi to Murtala Mohammed Airport Road and Ketu-Alapere Inner Roads Phase II wearing new looks. Also to benefit from this are Oke Oso–Araga–Poka in Epe, Topo Garage to VIP Chalet in Badagry, Ladipo Market Road, Multilayer Car Park, Mushin.

    Bus Terminals and depots are to be established in Yaba, Ikeja, Oyingbo, Anthony, Ketu and Toll Gate.

    More beneficiaries will receive funding from the N25billion Employment Trust Fund this month.

    Ambode said: “As we continue the task of ensuring good governance in our dear State, I am confident that 2017 will bring succor and new opportunities that will foster prosperity for Lagos State and all its residents. Our party, the APC, remains focused on making Lagos the progressive sign post for all. I thank all our party leaders and members for their loyalty and support.”

    Oba of Lagos Oba Rilwan Akiolu urged the governor to give priority to the construction of Adeniji-Adele Road and ensure the construction of other roads that deserve utmost attention in Lagos Island.

    He also urged the governor to improve the standard of markets in the area to enviable standards, while urging total reconstruction of non-approved and unauthorised buildings already built within major markets in Lagos Island.

    On security, Lagos State Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni said with the continued support of the state government, the Command increased the number of personnel in Ketu-Epe Police Post from two to seventy to effectively combat kidnapping and other crimes in Agbowa, Itoikin and environs, as well as transformed the hitherto abandoned Iyun Police Post to anti-kidnapping unit, while two gun boats were moved to Ejirin.

    On provision of health centres, Special Adviser to the governor on Primary Health Care, Dr. Femi Onanuga, said the government has 288 Primary Health Centres (PHCs) with plans to construct another two, as well as renovation work on 35 PHCs.

    Onanuga said government has also perfected plans to equip 35 PHCs with another two, while the total number of PHCs in the State would be increased to 290, adding that Governor Ambode has approved that PHCs, from now onwards, should offer 24hours service as against the former 8hours service.

    He also disclosed that a public spirited Lagosian has already donated a PHC worth N70million to government along Agbelekale-Aboru axis.

    Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Babatunde Adejare said the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) of the present administration would be implemented and a total of 40, 000 people would be employed starting from June 2017.

    Ambode directed that a stakeholder’s meeting should be convened on the issue of Ilaje Road in Bariga raised by one Elder Omoniyi owing to the fact that the road was narrow and some houses would have to give way for the construction.

    On Irawo Road, Ambode ordered the Public Works Corporation to move to site within seven days and complete the project to appreciate the communal effort of the people, while promising to look into all the issues raised by residents.

    A member of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Kosofe II, Tunde Buraimoh and Prince Rotimi Agunsoye representing Kosofe Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives hailed the idea behind the meeting, saying that it was important for the government and the governed to meet and decide on issue of governance.

    “There is no gainsaying that without any equivocation, without mincing words, I say categorically, emphatically without any fear of correction and contradiction that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode is God-sent to Lagos. He is fantastic, he is someone who is even a noiseless engine. He is not the type that will use N1, 000 to do a project and use N10, 000 on publicity. The Governor is doing what he was supposed to do as matter of routine and achievement in governance has become a routine in Lagos.

    “The governor is not cosmetics; he does not do propaganda but yet every corner, every locality in Lagos is now a construction site from Oshodi to Alimosho to Epe to Kosofe. I say kudos to him,” Agunloye said.

     

  • FERMA starts fixing roads in Abia

    FERMA starts fixing roads in Abia

    The zonal director of Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in charge of Abia, Ebonyi and Cross River states, Mr Bayo Adedayo, an engineer, has said that the agency is determined to ensure that all federal roads in Abia State are in good condition for motorists.

    Speaking with The Nation while inspecting the work being done at Umuahia-Bende-Ohafia-Arochukwu Road, Adedayo expressed satisfaction on the level and quality of the job done through direct labour.

    Adedayo said that the agency is ready to do a very good job, and called on the federal government to release funds that will make them perform at its optimal level. He stressed that they are ready to do the entire road from Umuahia to Arochukwu.

    The FERMA zonal director said that once the agency gets the necessary funds, the roads will wear a new face.

    “We assure the people of Abia that all federal roads in the state will be free from all forms of potholes which will make the road users to move freely,” he said.

    He, however, called on the residents who live along the federal roads to help the agency by doing their communal duties such as desilting the drains in front of their homes, pointing out that doing that will make their work easier.

    Earlier, one of the senior engineers of the agency, Mr Erinne Obiora said that they were in the state to monitor the progress of work being done by their people in Abia state, adding that what they have seen shows that the motorists will enjoy the road during the Christmas period.

    Obiora said that the agency has the mandate to make all federal roads across the country motorable by ensuring that potholes on the roads disappears, stressing that they will make use of the dry season to move fast.

    He explained that they are working according to the best international standard practice, “We are working with the best quality materials available in the construction industry and the roads will stand the test of time”.

    The FERMA engineer said that the agency will work faster once they have the required funds, “The lack of funds which has bedeviled the entire country is also affecting the agency, we are praying for things to improve so that motorists will smile at the end of the day”.

    Obiora pleaded with motorists to bear with the federal government and the agency, stressing that the roads are priotised by government at all times, “ No government will ever play with amenity such as roads”.

    Welcoming the zonal team the resident engineer in the state Engr Abraham Akange Tangu said that the issue of the agency slowing down with the rate of work in the state is because of lack of funds and not because they are not ready to work.

    Akange noted that the issue of lack of fund is hitting all departments across the country, “The problem of lack of fund is affecting all sectors of the country and not only in FERMA, if we have the funds, we assure the people of the state that they will have the best quality road they desire.

  • Enugu to repair Fed Govt roads

    Ahead of the forthcoming Yuletide, Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has embarked on an inspection tour of dilapidated federal government roads along New Market Road, Ugwu Onyeama, 9th Mile Corner, Opi-Nsukka and Obollo Afor roads.

    Ugwuanyi who was accompanied to the sites by the commissioner for works and infrastructure, Engr. Patrick Ikpenwa and the technical team of Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) promised residents of the areas visited that despite the current economic crunch in the country, his administration will rehabilitate the roads to standard.

    The governor said that he was concerned about the forthcoming Yuletide, adding that”even though most of these roads are federal roads, we cannot continue to wait for the federal government to rehabilitate them, hence the need to fix the roads for road users to enjoy a smooth movement during the Christmas season.”

    He also stated that the initiative was borne out of the need to avoid the ugly experience at the Oji-River – Ugwuoba-Anambra State border, which virtually collapsed as a result vehicular stress on the road, adding that his administration had to commence rehabilitation work on it, to alleviate the suffering of road users.

    This came as the Enugu State Government explained that the final sealing of affected potholes in Enugu metropolis has been delayed by the rains.

    The Chairman of Nigerian Construction and Foundation Company (NCFC), the agency handling the maintenance of roads in the state, Amb. Goddy Agbo, said that it has identified and marked all potholes in Enugu metropolis.

    Agbo added that “the cutting, shaping and regulation of levels of the identified potholes are in progress”, stressing that “due to continuous rainfall and the need for the patched sections to last, the final sealing of the affected areas will be done when the weather is dry.”

    He affirmed the commitment of the state government to serving the people better for them to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

    While appealing to the public, especially road users in Enugu metropolis to bear with the government, the agency’s chairman noted that it “would not embark on a project that would not meet the required standards.”

  • Save our roads, UNIZIK students urge Obiano

    Save our roads, UNIZIK students urge Obiano

    Students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, popularly called UNIZIK, are bemoaning the state of access roads to the institution’s campuses in Awka and Nnewi, reports FRANKLIN ONWUBIKO from Awka.

    unizik-bad-road-3Words cannot quantify the hardship students of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, face on the deplorable Ifite-Amansea Road which connects the university to the Awka, the Anambra State capital, where many students live.

    The road gets worse during the rainy season and most buses conveying students to school always break down, forcing the students to wade through muddy water.

    Sadly, the state of the road is not new, as successive state governments had turned deaf ears to the plight of members of staff and students of the institution.  In the past, the government placed equipment and heaped stones on the road, but it was never fixed.

    Anambra State Governor Dr Willie Obiano reportedly visited the university sometime in July, during the monthly environmental sanitation and saw, first-hand, the suffering of students on the road. His promise of intervention was applauded.

    Last week, there seemed to be a ray of hope with the arrival of heavy duty construction vehicles on the site.

    But to the consternation of students, the vehicles only deposited heaps of stones and disappeared the next day.

    Most students have taken to the social media to cry out to the government to come to their aid as the road is on the verge of being cut off by erosion.

    A lecturer (name withheld) described the government’s promise as propaganda.

    “I don’t understand why government should renege on words after promising to fix the road in time, after witnessing the plight of the students. The governor’s aides took to the social media to celebrate the promise and even posted pictures of the caterpillars, stating that work had begun. That is cheap blackmail and propaganda and it’s about time government stopped playing politics with issues that concern life,” he said.

    A student, Ebuka Obueze, described the government as insensitive to the plight of students.

    “This road has become a death trap. One practically gets stained passing through this route. It won’t cost the government a lot of money to work on this road, at least to ameliorate the sufferings of the students. How does one get to settle in class after the hurdles of getting to school through this bad road?,” Obueze asked.

    A female student, Joy Okoye, whose hostel is directly in front of the worst part of the road, lamented that they are forced to stay indoors and miss classes because of the road.

    “We hardly go out these days because the road is terribly bad. If not for the fact that UNIZIK students are calm, we would have long protested. If the governor truly has the students at heart, fixing the road won’t be an issue at all,” she stated.

    The poor state of the road has increased transportation cost; while some drivers have stopped plying the route.

    One driver, Arinze Obi, said some of his colleagues have abandoned the route pending when it is fixed.

    “This is not favourable at all. This road has indirectly generated more income for the road side mechanics more than it has for us drivers. Imagine a scenario where one spends his income and even borrows to fix his vehicle on weekly basis, all because of this bad road. For those who still ply the route, they increased the fare at least to cater for the damages on their vehicles. The worst part of it is that, we still pay levies to ply the route. These levies should be utilized in fixing the road but that is not happening. Government should come to the aid of the students before the road goes so bad,” he said.

    The situation at the other campus of the university located in the commercial city of Nnewi which houses the medical studies is also pitiable. The medical students have on various occasions cried out to the government and good spirited individuals for assistance.

  • Council chief warns against misuse of roads, drainage

    Sole Administrator of Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development (LCDA) Area Abiodun Agbaje has urged motorists to make good use of the roads just inaugurated in his domain to preserve them.

    Speaking at the commissioning of roads in Baruwa and Megida-Alaja, Agbaje warned the residents against the blockage of drainage with refuse dumps.

    House of Assembly Public Accounts Committee Chairman Bisi Yusuf and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Enilolobo said Lagos State was celebrating the translation of the vision of inclusive governance.

    “I want to thank our local contractors for delivering these projects and demonstrating the capacity of the construction industry in Lagos. I thank the community leaders who monitored the projects and persuaded their members to shift fences and allow roads to be expanded, resolving issues that might have stalled the projects,” Yusuf said.

    Enilolobo hailed the government for including the powering of the street lights in the projects.

    He urged communities to address the menace of cultism, hoodlums and vandals by providing information to security agencies.

    Community leaders in Badagry and Lagos Mainland have praised Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the completion and commissioning of roads in the councils.

    Pastor Israel Alagbe in Badagry said the commissioning of 114 rural roads would boost socio-economic activities at the grassroots and increase the economic well-being of the rural people.

    He said the people were happy with the development.

    “All the potholes, bad roads and all the roads that were washed away by flood have now become motorable and this job was done through the local contractors.

    “The rural areas are principally agrarian, with the commissioning of these roads, they can now easily transport their farm products to the market without inconvenience, they can now also go to their farms with their motor cycles and vehicles with ease.

    “This will reduce the cost of transportation and also reduce the prices of foodstuffs in the market because they now go through less stress to get these products to the market”, he said.

    He also said that some of the villages connected by these roads were hitherto inaccessible by commercial vehicles but are now accessible, so it will make for ease of movement for the people and more earnings for the commercial vehicle operators just as the villagers economic activities will also receive a boost because of ease of movement.

    Mainland Independent Group (MIG) General Coordinator Alhaji Ibrahim Megida said the repair of the road confirmed the genuine intention of Governor Ambode to transform the state.

    He said: “We are very happy with the repair of this road. This road has been in very deplorable state for long and we have been enduring untold hardship as a result of the sad development.

    “The state government inspected this road and promised us that work would start on it. Here we are today commissioning it. All the businesses in this area will witness quantum boost. God will continue to grant Governor Ambode wisdom and strength to lead the state.”

    Another resident Alhaja Sherifat Ajao, a trader, hailed Governor Ambode for keeping his words just few months after inspecting the road.

  • Roads: APC chieftain hails Ambode

    A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ayobo, Ipaja Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, Otunba Ladi Olo has hailed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s plan to build over 400 roads by 2019.

    Olo noted that this will be a milestone in the history of the state and the country because of the recession.

    The politician said no other state or governor had achieved such a feat or anything close to it.

    Olo addressed reporters yesterday at the inauguration of the Ajelanwa Baruwa and Megida Olayemi roads in the LCDA.

    Ambode was represented by APC’s state Organising Secretary, Alhaji Abdulahi Enilolobo, and the member representing Alimosho II in the House of Assembly, Bisi Yusuf.

    The event was part of the inauguration of newly built 114 roads in 20 local government areas and 37 LCDAs.

    Olo said the delivery of the 114 roads and the governor’s promise to deliver another 456 roads before 2019, despite the recession, attested to his ability to achieve an extra-ordinary feat as a seasoned administrator as well as a tested and trusted accountant adept at managing resources well.

    He said: “You will recall that the governor promised to deliver another 288 roads by next year, having urged the sole administrator of each of the councils to submit the list of new roads to be done to the state government.”