By Olasunkanmi Akoni

LAGOS-As part of the ongoing infrastructural development, Lagos State Government said it will be laying more emphasis on opening of rural roads in the year 2012, aimed at impacting positively on dwellers as well as reducing the rural urban drift in the state.

Speaking after the tour of riverine communities, the Commissioner for Rural Development, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi said that the vision of the state government was to open up rural roads and provide social amenities for the dwellers in order to stem rural-urban drift.

According to him, when social amenities enjoyed by those living in the city were also found in rural communities, it would take away the attraction for city life, thus, curbing urban drift.

He said in 2012, the state government would lay emphasis on opening of rural roads, saying that the budget would take care of this, adding that the government was determined to impact on rural dwellers in the state.

According to Ojelabi, the budget allocated to the ministry this year was N2 billion, saying that during the last budget re-ordering, the governor added more funds for rural development. The commissioner disclosed that at N900 million was spent this year in construction and rehabilitation of rural roads, culverts, drainages, among others.

He added that over N900 million was expended in providing rural electrification for rural dwellers this year, while lots had also be spent on rural water and agriculture. Ojelabi stated that 2012 would witness massive transformation in rural communities across the state as government pay more attention to meeting their needs.