We maintained 4,104 roads in five years – LSPWC
Lagos State Public Works Corporation staff at work
The Lagos State Public Works Corporation has said it has maintained 4,104 roads between 2010 and this year.
The LSPWC, in a document made available to our correspondent, stated that the number of roads worked on had significantly improved due to the fundamental changes and innovations brought about by its executive chairman, Mr. Gbenga Akintola.
According to the document, in 2009 the roads maintained were 176, while in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014, the numbers increased to 212, 568, 705, 988, and 1,135 respectively, with 320 already worked on so far this year.
The corporation said in the period, it also introduced interlocking paving stones for road maintenance as solution to making roads in water-logged areas with severe drainage challenges last longer.
The statement read in part, “In order to consolidate this method in a more efficient way, the corporation established paving stones and kerbs production factories in its yards in Ojodu-Berger and Badagry. The corporation also proposed and received the governor’s approval to set up two new asphalt plants in Imota, Ikorodu and Ajido, Badagry.
“These two plants have production capacity of 160 tonnes of asphalt per hour. While the one in Imota was inaugurated by the governor in February 2014; that of Badagry is presently awaiting inauguration even though it has started full operation since December 2014.”
According to the document, the Imota plant covers over 420 roads located in Ikorodu, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki and parts of Eti-Osa local government areas, while that of Badagry caters for over 400 roads in Ojo, Amuwo-Odofin, Ajeromi-Ifelodun and part of Alimosho local government areas.
It noted that the corporation had also commenced full-scale construction of selected roads in the state.
“From sometime in 2012, the Lagos State Government, having realised the beef-up in the capacity of LSPWC, began to assign certain roads to the corporation for full-scale construction, involving drainage work, road surfacing, culverts as well as installation of street lighting facilities and lane marking. This has been of huge benefit to tax payers as such works are done via direct labour approach, thereby helping the government to cut costs significantly,” the document stated.
Some of the roads done under the arrangement, it added, included Emmanuel Kolawole Street, Somolu; Soluyi Street, Kosofe; Ladipo Kuku and Allen Avenue, Ikeja; Oba Adeboyega, Epe; Oshundairo Street, Agege; Oluodo Road, Ikorodu; and Jamiu Alli Balogun, in Apapa, among others.
