• ’Why govt is buying back Lekki – Epe road project’

BY EBUN SESSOU

In this interview, a  member, Lagos State  House of Assembly, Hon Saka Fafunmi, explains the reason  behind failed roads  in the country and the way forward.

How do you assess Lagos roads?
Lagos roads generally are averagely okay compared to what is obtainable in other climes. It is pathetic that in Lagos, we have about 9,100  roads out of which 25 are federal, 454  are state while the remaining belong to local government roads. What percentage of the state roads have been tarred let alone other roads.

The only transformation we have experienced was during the time of former governor of Lagos, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who constructed the Ojota/Oregun link road and most of the major roads within Ikeja metropolis and Governor  Babatunde Fashola improved upon on the situation  by building more arterial roads to complement the inner roads  built by  Tinubu’s regime.

I do not have the figure of the total roads that we have built in Lagos but I  believe that we have done over 40 percent. The local governments that were expected to build most of these inner roads don’t have the  financial muscle to confront the needs. In essence, we  need to see how more money  can be made available from the federal account to local government so that most of the roads that are under them can be maintained.

In Nigeria, we keep talking of dust while there is no dust in other climes of the world, it is a function of not greening our environment and having everywhere paved. If all the roads are tarred and are in good condition, we will not be where we are today as a nation and commuting will be easier. By and large, I would say that this administration has invested a sizable amount of money into infrastructure and the result is what we are seeing today.

I believe you will agree with me that there are lots of bad roads in Lagos state which has contributed to the increase in accident rates and loss of lives…
When you say bad road, it is relative and that is why I started by classifying the roads: Federal, state and local government roads. The responsibility of Lagos government transcend meeting Lagos State roads alone. Lagos State government has built more than 454 roads  earmarked as state roads. Lagos has gone ahead to fix and build  roads that are  federal roads  like the Badagry Express road.

Lekki road is being done through  public private partnership, PPP, but the state government is making effort to buy it over so that the people living around that corridor will have no need to pay toll. And if they would have to, they will know that the money is going to the state which can further be used to develop the area or other parts of the state. It will come in as revenue to the state government and that is why is trying to buy back the Lekki/Epe expressway.

Sub-standard materials are  used in building some of the roads. A good  case  is the Mushin/Isolo Road. How  do  you react to this and also ensure that there is uniformity in infrastructural development in the state?
To a large extent, I would tell you that  there is no part of  Lagos  that has not benefited from the resources of this state. I know that, as a matter of fact, resources of the state are not limited to areas where revenues are generated. Even areas with low  revenues including Ikorodu and  Epe are now experiencing infrastructural development. It might not be at the same pace with Victoria Island, Surulere, Ikeja among others.

But, I think, lots of people might find it difficult to understand the developmental efforts of Lagos State. Former Governor Tinubu built lots of inner street roads and this present administration is concentrating on building arterial roads. It has built many networks of roads that would serve as bypass  when there is traffic so as to make way for free flow of traffic. And that is what the ministry of infrastructure puts into consideration when it was designing the road. It is not by design that some areas should develop at the expense of others.

What is your view on tolling of roads?
The issue of tol especially on  Lekki/Epe expressway is understandable because the project was built through  PPP and they are expected to generate funds from the toll collected on that road but Ikoyi Road  built by the state government is still a subject of debate. And Lagos State House of Assembly has not taken a position on it.

There are some major roads in Lagos that are in deplorable state including Isolo/Ikotun road, Awoyaya among others…
If it is maintenance of road, it is public works corporation that is saddled with such responsibility to maintain  existing roads. If the road in question is so terrible, it is important to make it known to the corporation. They have hotline which people can report any bad road and that  is why I feel we should concentrate on maintaining the roads that are in terrible state and see how government can meet the needs of the people in this area.

Recently, the government built two additional asphalt plants including Imota and Badagry and by the time the plants  become operational in the new year, there is assurance that more roads will be attended to.

How do you think we can overcome the problem of failed roads especially as the former chairman on works and infrastructure?
Federal Government has no business  having  roads. Most of the federal roads in Lagos ought to have been handed over to the state government except the ones exiting Lagos. Federal Government should also allocate  more resources  to the state irrespective of their political affiliation. Federal Government should be more interested in solving the problem of Lagos because it is  home to all Nigerians  respective of  tribe. Lagos should be given a special status considering the population and percentage of Nigeria living in Lagos.