By our correspondents

Promises to commence massive rehabilitation work on Monday.

In apparent response to the public outcry greeting the state of many of Lagos State roads in recent times, Lagos State Government has declared a state of emergency on various dilapidated highways and carriages within the State.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sunday ordered massive construction work on critical roads and highways across the State, beginning from Monday (tomorrow)

The Governor’s directive followed the conclusion of his series of meetings with eight multi-national engineering firms, which began a few weeks back. After his final meeting with the contractors on Sunday, which lasted for about three hours, Sanwo-Olu declared the commencement of major construction work on the identified highways considered critical to reduce traffic congestions bringing pain to road users.

The Governor said all the eight engineering firms had been given the mandate to immediately mobilise their equipment on the sites and commence major construction works on the identified roads.

He said: “This afternoon, 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.”

To complement the major construction work on the highway, Sanwo-Olu said Lagos Public Works Corporation (LPWC) would be carrying out repairs of 116 inner roads across the State. This, he said, would be in addition to over 200 roads already rehabilitated by the corporation in the last three months.

The Governor said he was not unaware of the pain experienced by road users in the past few days, which was compound by persistent downpour. He appealed to residents to bear with the Government while efforts were being made to assuage their pains and bring permanent relief to them.

He said: “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.”

Sanwo-Olu said officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) will be working round the clock to control traffic on the areas where the construction would take place.

Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, listed some of the critical highways and roads to be constructed to include Ojota stretch of the Ikorodu Road, Motorways-Kudurat 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 the there would be massive re-construction work on a network of roads in Ikoyi, Ikeja GRA and Victoria Island.

The contractor deployed by the Government included Julius Berger, Hitech, Arab Contractors, Metropolitan Construction, Slavabogu Construction, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Rajaf Foundation Construction, and RCF Nigeria Limited.

This announcement is already eliciting kudos from traffic – jam weary Lagosians who see this proactive response as a step in the right direction. To many, declaring a state of emergency on Lagos road is long overdue. Most respondents interviewed by our correspondent are optimiatic that this action would go a long way in alleviating the appalling traffic situation compounded by recent incessant rains.

With additional reports by Gboyega Akosile.