Kunle Adelabu
In its attempt to make roads in the state to last longer, the Lagos State Government has now been reviewing laws regulating roads and drainages in the state.
This was revealed by the Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, at the stakeholders’ meeting for the reconstruction of the Oba Sekumade road in Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA) held at the Ikorodu Ferry Terminal, Ipakodo, on Thursday, October 08, 2020.
Engr. Adeyoye, who agreed that poor drainage system is the bane of the collapsed roads in the state, also hinted the Majority Leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade who was the special guest of honour at the event, that he and his colleagues should be expecting Bill(s) in that respect.
“In terms of drain duck and maintenance of the road, I agree that a road is as good as the drain and that when there is no maintenance, the road is bound to fail”, the Special Adviser said.
“Regarding the extant laws, Honourable (Hon. Sanai Agunbiade), my brother is here. We are coming to you because we have deliberated on it at the Exco. Public Drain Duck is a unit that exists, but there are lacunas.
“Who is paying and where does it belong, (are some of the reasons that we are coming there for), so that people will know that it is an agency that must function and be funded all year round.
“It is because our desilting process and maintenance are not working well that is why we always come back every time to fix. We don’t need to spend money every time.
“What the Ministry of Works is doing is to be a government think – tank by providing sustainable infrastructure that would last long.
“In the stop – gap till when these laws are going to be passed, it makes sense to do pavement that would last long and be sustainable. That is why you will see us on the Ikorodu – Mile doing rigid pavement because we do not want to go back revisiting it”, she explained.
“The same reason we are doing concrete pavement here (Oba Sekumade road reconstruction) is because we know the kind of trucks that would park here.
“So, most of the roads that you will see in Lagos, particularly the heavy traffic ones, will all come in rigid pavement so that we don’t go back again and again”.
Reacting to questions on flyover at Ogolonto axis of Ikorodu, the Special Adviser stated that flyover is not the solution to all traffic congestion while also stating that it is expensive.
“Everything is not about flyover solutions. You need to do a traffic study and know whether you need a flyover.
“Yes, there is congestion there but flyover is the end-solution. You can try signalization if it would work but if it doesn’t, then think of flyover but it is expensive.
“We have noted it. Let us see what would happen with signalization and if it doesn’t work, we can see what would happen with the flyover”.
