We’re addressing situation — Govt
Lagos residents and the motorists have decried the bad condition of roads in the state which are unmotorable because of potholes and others that have taken over major and link roads in the state.
The potholes which were caused by persistent rainfall now constitute an embarrassment to a state known as the centre of excellence.
The appalling state of some roads and the plight commuters go through to navigate them can only be better imagined. More worrisome is the fact that the potholes are conspicuous everywhere, even on roads close to Local Government Secretariats, such as Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area, Agege and the Lagos State House, Ikeja, spreading across federal, state and local government areas.
Unfortunately, the effect of recent heavy rainfall has exposed shoddy works done on most of the dilapidated roads in recent times.
The Lagos State Public Works, LSPW and Drainage Corporation was created in the late 70s with the vision to be a formidable name in road rehabilitation and construction.
Its mission is to be responsible for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of all roads, to make them accessible all year round, by responding promptly to all situations.
Like every agency of its kind, it has also gone through different periods of reforms under different leaders, but its core mandate remains unchanged
In his efforts to address this teething problem, on May 30, 2019, after the swearing-in ceremony, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu directed the Lagos State Public Works Corporation to commence patching and rehabilitation of bad roads in the metropolis with immediate effect.
The governor gave the directive when he signed his first Executive Order to address the issue of traffic control and management, fixing of potholes on the roads, sanitation and clearing of drainages in the state.
While signing the Order, Sanwo-Olu said: “I think we have to make some points about issues that happen around transportation, potholes on our roads, blockages and the rest. I think it’s something we need to tackle immediately.”
He explained that the Order was to also ensure the attainment of zero-tolerance for environmental abuse, including illegal and indiscriminate dumping of refuse and construction of structures on drainage points and
Similarly, he directed the Office of Drainage Services in the Ministry of the Environment to commence aggressive cleaning of all secondary and tertiary drainage systems across the state to ensure the free flow of rainwater during the rainy season.