Lawmakers Begin Inventory Of Roads, Erring Contractors May Face Sanctions

Lawmakers Begin Inventory Of Roads

OpenLife Nigeria reports that Lagos State House of Assembly has commenced an assessment of roads in the state with the aim of ascertaining their current conditions.

This move by the House Committee on Works and Infrastructure is coming days after lawmakers at the House decried the parlous conditions of some roads within the state.

Chairman of the House Committee on Works and Infrastructure, Hon. Desmond Elliot, said the committee has the approval of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, and the House to thoroughly look into the challenge and come up with recommendations to help the state.

“The Speaker and the House are concerned about the conditions of the roads in the state including the fact that some of the roads are washed away few months or years after they are constructed.

“This tour of roads in the state is about how we can ensure longevity for them and forestall the havocs given by rains. More rains might be coming next year. So we are working to ensure the roads are safe, accessible to residents and durable for the benefit of mankind.

“We are also looking at collaborative efforts among the tiers of government.

At the end of the exercise, we should be able to give a more concrete report regarding good roads, the not-so-good roads and make presentations to the House for a solution,” he said while hinting that erring contractors could face sanctions.

Elliot further said that the committee, under the instruction of Speaker Obasa, had met with the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Works and presented documents that would help with the fixing of federal roads in Lagos.

“The meeting with our counterparts at the National Assembly was fruitful and we are hopeful. We will not stop but make sure that all our roads, whether federal, state or local government roads, within the state are fixed.

“We will not fold our hands at the Lagos Assembly, especially under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa. We will work to ensure that Lagos roads are second to none,” he added.

Hon. Femi Saheed, a member of the committee, said the tour of the roads in the state will help the House know the level of the involvements of the federal, state and local governments in the projects.
“We want a holistic and symbiotic relationship among these tiers of government,” he said.

On his part, Adekunle Olayinka, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, said the ministry would take another look at areas where the committee expressed dissatisfaction with the level of work.

He commended the Lagos Assembly for the tour while promising that the government will continue to do its best to meet the challenges of road infrastructure in the state.