4th May, 2012
To support the campaign on good road usage by the Lagos State Public Works Corporation, residents of Iju-Ogundimu community have set up a community-based association called the Lagos State Road Protection Advocacy Society.
In a statement made available to P.M.NEWS by the Public Relations Officer of the corporation, Samuel Ayetutu, the society will complement the state government’s effort on road maintenance.
Speaking at the inauguration of the association at the palace of the Oniju of Iju community, Oba Elijah Olanire Ebelamu, Executive Chairman of LSPWC, Mr. Gbenga Akintola commended the patriotic act displayed by residents of Iju, adding that the initiative to protect infrastructure provided by government must be emulated by other communities.
Akintola disclosed that the advocacy campaign embarked upon by his corporation in road protection and maintenance have started yielding results.
He revealed that the corporation had maintained over 400 roads this year alone and sought the cooperation of Lagosians in their proper usage to make them last longer.
“We have repaired 400 roads in 2012 alone. We are asking Lagosians to desist from bad habits that include dumping of refuse in drains, burning of tyres on roads, indiscriminate cutting of roads and a number of other harmful habits.
“If Lagosians desist from all these bad habits, it will ensure that more roads are repaired and funds that are used to repair roads damaged prematurely are used to provide other important infrastructure,” he explained.
Akintola disclosed further that the corporation has stock-piled road repair materials in preparation for the raining season, stressing that the incompatibility of asphalt with water makes the use of lean concrete mix and interlocking paving stones the preferred options during rainy season.
“The corporation has stock piled materials needed for use during the rainy season. This include the materials needed for the preparation of the lean concrete mix and paving stones. At LSPWC, we always plan ahead so that we will not be cut unawares. We also explore modern maintenance methods to meet our day-to-day road maintenance challenges,” he added.
Akintola urged Lagosians to emulate residents of Iju community by replicating a society of such nature in their various communities. He also charged them to be on the alert and report defaulting residents to the appropriate authorities.
Earlier in his address, the Oniju of Iju, Oba Elijah Olanire Ebelamu expressed gratitude to the management of LSPWC for coming to the rescue of the community by repairing the Iju-Ajuwon road at a time when the community was almost cut off from the neighbouring Ajuwon community due to the deplorable state of the road.
Oba Ebelamu assured the LSPWC management that his subjects will desist from all the bad habits highlighted by the corporation as contributing to the degradation of roads.
He called on the state government to repair other damaged roads in the community, especially Kayode Street which is the access road to the only public primary school and health centre in the community.