By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Gbenga Akanmu
The collapse of a section of LASU-Iba road after a down pour, last week, has been blamed on the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and the contractor, Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company, CCECC.

This was the submission of most members of the Lagos State House of Assembly when the officials of the  ministry and CCECC appeared before a committee of the whole, yesterday.

The House invited them to explain what was responsible for the collapse of the road at Agboroko village.

Special Assistant to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ganiyu Johnson, who led the ministry team, said it was due to a lot of development on that side of the road which changed the wetland to a dryland.

The channel created during construction for water under the road, unknown to them, had shifted and flood was gradually eating away the soil underneath and made the portion to cave in.

Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforiji expressed the displeasure of members over the collapsed road, saying: “Members are moved about the collapse of the road. We feel that so much of public funds has been expended on that road and we deserve a solid road that can last for years not one that will collapse before the construction work is completed.”

Hon. Babatunde Ogala pointed out that the problem that caused the damage should have been envisaged blaming the collapse on faulty designing, lack of due diligence, incompetence of the contractor and not being futuristic.

While expressing unhappiness with the contractor over the incident, Mrs. Adehunmilayo Tejuosho said, “we are very particular about the welfare of our people and our roads, we are not a backward nation or state and we should not be treated as such.”

Hon. Sanai Agunbiade also queried the competence of the contractor because he had observed a defective job done by them in the Lekki free trade zone. He therefore called for a complete audit to be done on the road, moreso when so many repair work is being carried out on the road even before commissioning.

The lawmakers were also not happy that the company was being loaded with too many contracts at the same which they believe may have been responsible for the shoddiness of some of the projects already executed.

The House however dismissed the officials promising to get back to them with whatever decision it takes on the matter.