After flood terror, Sanwo-Olu declares state of emergency on Lagos roads
Following extensive flooding that terrorised several state and federal highways across the state between last week and weekend, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State Sunday declared state of emergency on bad roads across the state.
A statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile revealed that the declaration stemmed from his series of meetings with eight multi-national engineering firms on best practicable way and manner to reconstruct dilapidated roads across the state.
Some of the contractors expected to begin road repairs from today, Monday, October 14, 2019 included Julius Berger, Hitech, Arab Contractors, Metropolitan Construction, Slavabogu Construction, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Rajaf Foundation Construction, and RCF Nigeria Limited.
Sanwo-Olu averred that the urgent need for the commencement of major construction work on the identified highways considered critical was to the reduction of traffic congestion flooding in the State.
Sanwo-Olu noted that “We have just concluded meeting with various reputable construction companies and all of them have been given the brief to immediately commence major construction work in various parts of the State. The exercise will begin tomorrow with palliative work on the selected roads, which are both on the Island and mainland divisions of the State.
“The contractors have been given the mandate to start mobilising their equipment to their respective sites without further delay. Their activities must first give our people an immediate relief on the affected roads so that there can be free flow of traffic even during the rehabilitation work.
The governor said due to the enormity of the work that needs to be done and number of roads currently identified as dilapidated, “The Lagos State Public Works Corporation would be carrying out repairs of 116 inner roads across the State. This would be in addition to over 200 roads already rehabilitated by the corporation in the last three months.”
While noting that his administration was not unaware of the pain experienced by road users in the past few days, which was compound by persistent downpour, “We expect the rains will begin to subside in this month of October and this is why we are mobilising our contractors to immediately start the major construction work on the identified highways and bring permanent relief to residents. I am giving all Lagosians the assurance that the contractors will start the construction in earnest and will deliver on the terms of agreements reached with them.”
Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye, listed some of the critical highways and roads to be constructed to include Ojota stretch of the Ikorodu Road, Motorways-Kudirat Abiola Way, Apogbon Highway, Babs Animashaun Road, Agric/Ishawo Road and Ijede Road in Ikorodu, and Lekki-Epe Expressway from Abraham Adesanya to Eleko Junction.
She added that there would be massive re-construction work on a network of roads in Ikoyi, Ikeja GRA and Victoria Island.
