Roads infrastructure: Abuse, resource limitation challenge our efforts—Hamzat

Relatively, the Lagos State government is doing well in building infrastructure and rehabilitating existing ones, but these efforts aimed at reducing travel time and facilitating business in the commercial city are not yielding the desired result due to some challenges that the state says are worrisome.

Obafemi Hamzat, the state’s commissioner for Works and Infrastructure says among their many challenges in this connection, abuse of roads infrastructure and limited resources stand out, lamenting that the attitude of some citizens to the roads are not frustrating their efforts but also piling pressure on their limited resources.

Hamzat who spoke during an interactive session with a select group of journalists at the weekend, noted that all over the world, road usage is properly classified which is one of the major reasons their road infrastructure are more enduring, but the story is different here because road users ply all routes without discrimination.

According to him, unlike advanced countries where railway is used as a means of transporting commodities such as petroleum products, building materials like cement, steel and other heavy equipment, Nigeria still relies solely on road transportation.

  “It’s quite unfortunate that 90 percent, if not 100 percent, of our petroleum and other products are still conveyed to various parts of the country by road”, he said, noting that a containerised truck would leave the Tin-Can Island Ports to places like Ladipo Market, Oyingbo and even Idumota, passing through the expressway to inner roads whereas most of these roads are not designed for such heavy duty vehicles.

The commissioner cited some areas under construction which are facing one challenge or another including Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, and Apapa which are challenged by traffic; Alaba Cemetery Road where the drainage is filled with refuse, adding that there is also an abuse by members of the public at the on-going construction at Ajubulu, and traders illegally occupying the Maidan-Agiliti Road.

Lamenting the challenge of limited resources to infrastructure development in the state, Hamzat pointed out that “even if we have all the money to maintain and construct all the roads, they would not last as planned as long as there are no proper designated routes for haulage services in the country and the few ones are deteriorating due to wrong usage by the public”.

Also identified as another abuse by the commissioner are the activities of vandals, litigations against government’s good intention to open some areas, thereby inevitably touching some properties in order to give way for road expansion projects, and the need to maintain the existing infrastructure.

  “A typical example is the Ago Palace Way, where owners of some property took us to court; a situation that has been causing delay till date. However, we are hopeful that the court will rule in our favour as soon as possible and construction work would resume in earnest.”

  According to the commissioner, the relocation of NNPC pipeline and PHCN equipment along Ayobo-Ipaja corridor is another major hindrance to the completion of the on-going road project, adding that the movement of the facilities could not be done without due approval and cooperation of the relevant authorities, especially the federal government”.

  Hamzat also cited the example of the ongoing Orile-Badagry Expressway, where it took a lot of time to complete the evaluation of the affected properties and compensation processes.   “But specific mention should be made on what informed the need to redesign our rail line that was originally meant to have its terminal at Iddo. Because the federal government was reluctant to allow us use the facility, we were compelled to plan a new terminus in Marina.

“The new design came with a whole lot of engineering changes and challenges as we need to contend with the terrain where we need to do a lot of pilling”, he said, adding that the design for this road and rail system has to be planned not independent of each other, but rather, hand-in-hand.

The commissioner stressed that the state government was worried by the attitude of the public to roads, adding, “we are determined to correct this wrong usage and I can tell you that the state at the moment is prosecuting four vandals.  We will also do more on dialoguing and communicating our ideals to the people through continuous community and town hall meetings”.