By Kingsley Adegboye

Lagos State Government at the weekend restated its commitment to sustain the tempo of infrastructure regeneration across the state.

Governor Babatunde Fashola at the commissioning of Akerele, Adelabu Streets and Ogunlana Drive in Surulere Local Government, noted that though the state is challenged by limited resources to prosecute its development agenda, his administration will continue to confront the challenges with available resources at its disposal.

Putting the state’s resources at a meager three billion dollars, Fahola explained that it would cost about $50 billion to cater for the infrastructure deficit.

He stated that the regeneration of  infrastructure has since 1999, moved from Ikeja to Victoria Island Central Business District CBD to Old Yaba, Apapa, Mushin, Ketu, Ijesa and Surulere. He described as a welcome development, the presence of local construction companies in the  construction industry, adding that the reconstruction of the roads by Messrs HFP Engineering and Plycon Ltd have gone a long way in providing jobs for Nigerians and thereby growing the economy.

The  Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Mr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat said  the projects attest to the commitment of the administration to ensure better life for the citizens.

Hamzat explained that the essence of the upgrade of the roads was to de-flood the area and address the perennial traffic problems occasioned by the increased presence of commercial vehicles.

The Commissioner appealed to the general public to use the roads effectively in a manner which will extend their lifespan. He enjoined the users to refrain from such habits as indiscriminate dumping of waste into the drains, disposal of oil waste on the roads, cutting of roads and washing of cars on the road.

Hamzat further appealed to the public to imbibe the maintenance culture by being the government’s watchdog to apprehend those who engage in willful damage of government properties.  The Ministry, he said, has inaugurated a public phone line which will afford the public the opportunity to report those who vandalize public properties.

The roads  which have a total length of 3.516km and a width of 14.4m, also have provisions for service ducts, streetlights, pedestrian walkways and culverts as well as drains. They were constructed to be friendly to the physically challenged