'We'll Rid Lagos Roads Of Pot-Holes'

Lagosians have been assured of pot-hole free roads by the end of next year.

Giving this assurance in Lagos after taking journalists on a facility tour of  asphalt production  plant at its Ojodu-Berger office, Chairman, Lagos State Public Works Corporation, Mr. Gbenga Akintola,  said his corporation was determined to rid the state of pot-holes and become a reference point in road  maintenance and rehabilitation in sub-saharan Africa.

To achieve this objectives, Akintola disclosed that his corporation had acquired equipment on road  rehabilitation. They include 6 four-ton rollers, four walk behind rollers, 10 tractors, 16 pick-up  vans, two loaders, 10 asphalt cutters, three floodlights, two pavers, a bulldozer, wheel loader and  grader.

He added: “This year, we are set to take delivery of additional items which are two units of pothole  patchers, a tar boiler, Hiab, four-ton roller and six walk behind rollers, among others.”

Akintola who described the corporation’s asphalt plant as the biggest in West Africa revealed that the  corporation refurbished some old heavy duty equipment to almost new status in the last couple of  months to aid rehabilitation of roads in the state.

“In order to achieve a pot-hole free Lagos State at the set target, we have realised the need to carry  out accelerated, non stop maintenance operations. We have put this into practice upon resumption of  asphalt production in November, 2010. Our men have since then been on the road on a 24-hour basis  including public holidays, working hard to put smiles on the faces of Lagosians.

”Besides this, our recently adopted paving stone method will make it easy for work to continue, even  during rainy season,” he stated.

The LSPWC boss disclosed that to reach as many places within the shortest possible time, his  corporation concessioned road maintainance in certain locations to private firms. “We believe that  this approach is suitable for locations remote from LSPWC’s base here at Ojodu-Berger, so as to manage  logistics more effectively, using the same direct labour system,” he added.

Akintola appealed to the federal government to implement its initiative to channel a percentage of  revenue to road maintenance agencies in states across the federation. ”With this, we just might be  making progress in addressing the challenge of inadequate funding,” he said.