Sanwo-Olu inaugurates roads, bridge, warns against infrastructure abuse

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday advised residents of Kosofe Local Government to protect public facilities and shun infrastructure abuse, to ensure constructions last long.

Sanwo-Olu made the appeal during the inauguration of Ogudu-Alapere Link Road with Bridge and Prince Adesoji Ajose Street, Ogudu in Kosofe Local Government Area.

He thanked people in the council for voting massively to return him to office a second time promising to continue the mass infrastructure upgrade and renewal drive to make Lagos a resilient city.

The governor appealed to residents to take ownership of the project, protect it from street trading and all other forms of abuses.

“I want to implore the Community Development Associations in this area to assume responsibility for all these projects/roads by ensuring that they are kept clean and also protect them by ensuring that the drains are free of refuse,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said Ogudu-Alapere Link Road with Bridge and Prince Adesoji Ajose Street would link two communities, boosting connectivity to Third Mainland Bridge and Ogudu Bridge.

He listed classrooms, jetties, estates, treatment plants, shoreline projects and others handed over before his arrival at the programme, adding that, infrastructure investments had multiplier effect of attracting rapid development.

He said his administration had mainstreamed transportation and traffic management on its THEMES Agenda, and in the last four years by providing the required infrastructure to drive all round development.

The governor said to curb gridlocks on major roads, his government prioritised the rehabilitation of strategic roads and link bridges, as well the development of new roads.

He said Ogudu Community in Kosofe Local Government Area is a strategic settlement with a fast-growing population with need for infrastructural renewal, hence the project to address the challenges of flooding and gridlock.

“The delivery of this project complete with an effective drainage system will address the problem of perennial flooding, and perhaps more importantly, provide good connectivity between Ikorodu Road, the Third Mainland Bridge (TMB) and Apapa-Oworonsoki Expressway via the Third Axial underpass,” he said.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, said the project demonstrated commitment of the governor towards improving welfare and wellbeing of residents.

She listed projects inaugurated since March 31 to provide alternative routes, boost connectivity, security and commerce.

“It should be noted that before the project inception and the intervention of this administration, the existing roads were without drainage facilities and disconnected by an existing wetland; thus, the immediate environment was subjected to flooding with consequent negative impact on transportation, given the low-lying and swampy nature of the area.

“The delivery of both the 545m long Ogudu- Alapere Link Road with an average width of 14.6 meters and a 22-meter Bridge as well as the 600m long by 7.4meter width Prince Ajose Street, would serve as good alternative roads for motorists, especially the residents of Ogudu GRA Estate Phases I & II, Ogudu-Ojota and the 3rd Axial underpass.

“This will in turn help in reducing travel time in the axis, and man-hour loss in traffic gridlock around Ogudu Roundabout,” she said.

She gave a brief of the project and commended the Lagos State Public Works Corporation for helping construction of difficult sections of Prince Adesoji Ajose Street which hitherto was not included in the scope of work at award.

Adeyoye also appealed to residents to take ownership and protect the infrastructure from abuse while urging commuters, commercial transporters and other motorists to make use of the road infrastructure responsibly and ensure the free flow of traffic.

‘More importantly, the provided infrastructure should not be converted to markets, especially on the walkways, and same on laybys, to mechanic garages or tolerate abuse that will result in any change of its original use,” she said.

Lawmakers representing the area, the council chairman and the traditional rulers of all the communities in the local government took turns to appreciate the governor for the project.

They also enumerated the benefits and development the project was attracting to the council area and listed other roads in need of urgent intervention.