By Kingsley Adegboye

Lagos State Public Works Corporation, LSPWC, has noted that it will limit to the barest minimum its routine maintenance work due to torrential rainfall which has been predicted to extend towards the end of the last quarter of 2011.

This was disclosed by the Executive Chairman of the Corporation, Mr. Gbenga Akintola during the week. He called for the understanding of members of the public after appraising the implications of the present weather condition on the operations of the Corporation.

According to him, his agency has always paid attention to weather forecasts from reliable sources and guided by such forecasts when planning its road maintenance activities.

He added that as a result of this, effort is being made to avoid wasting tax payers money when there are adequate signs that rain might fall during or immediately after maintenance work and wash away materials used in no time.

Mr. Akintola stated that torrential rainfall has recently become a global concern, leaving many countries, including some of the industrialised nations, with no choice than to manage its consequences which in most cases manifest in form of flooding and devastation of roads and other infrastructure.

The situation, according to the Executive Chairman, is compounded by the high water table nature of Lagos topography which puts roads under constant attack by water from below, destroying the base while rainwater from above destroys the asphalt surface.

“Another major challenge is the age of most paved roads in Lagos, which makes them susceptible to frequent damage as new potholes develop on the same roads in a matter of weeks after bad portions have been repaired because the roads have become generally weak.

“This trend has often led many members of the public to query the quality of work done by the Corporation, not knowing that while portions maintained are still in good shape, new pot-holes are only emerging from other parts of the same road.

“The solution to this,” Mr. Akintola said, “is for Lagosians to be patient as government has a plan to upgrade and renew the roads such that they can serve a longer time without breaking down.

However, the Corporation will continue to render skeletal services or intervene in critical situations that might pose threat to life and limb with the use of paving stones and other palliative measures pending when the weather will be clement enough for proper maintenance.

“Members of the public are also enjoined to desist from activities that constitute man- made causes of road damage and consider the roads as their own heritage which deserves to be protected at all times. The agency has maintained in excess of 800 roads from August 2010 till date,” Mr. Akintola said.