By Kingsley Adegboye

THE Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Kadri Hamzat has identified some of the challenges militating against the development of  roads infrastructure in the state.

Speaking at the 2013 ministerial press briefing last week, Hamzat  who is an Engineer, listed the challenges to include the state’s topography and poor attitudinal behaviours. Others are destruction of road furniture, axle loads on some inner roads, inadequate funding and court injunctions.

The commissioner also decried the indiscriminate dumping of waste on roads and drainage channels as well as activities of roadside mechanics and car wash operators. The Commissioner also lamented that axle loads on some inner roads are usually heavier than the roads they were designed for.

Explaining that court injunctions by individuals against the government over the construction of some  roads have hindered government’s efforts to deliver the roads on schedule, Hamzat however said that the Ago Palace Way which has been the subject of litigation will be delivered by July this year.

The project is said to have attained 70 percent completion. When completed, the road, according to the commissioner, will address the perennial traffic snarl along the axis and Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. It will link Ijegun, Ikotun, Ejigbo to Amuwo-Odofin through Idolo and Okota.

The 1Road will also serve as a complimentary development to the Okota-Itire Link Bridge since the issue of litigation has been resolved and the project is now back on course. He  added that the court case on Lekki/ Ikoyi Link Bridge will not affect its commissioning any time from now.

The Commissioner disclosed that between 2012 and 2013, a total of 261 roads covering both the rural and cosmopolitan areas have been awarded across the state. He added that another 53 roads have been earmarked for grading and surface dressing.

Meanwhile, 49,000 direct jobs have been created by the State Government through the road construction programmes initiated within the last two years.