Lagos State Government has adopted an all-inclusive and people-centered approach that covers rural and urban areas, so that no part of Lagos State is left out, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said.
Governor Sanwo-Olu stated this in his keynote address at the commissioning of the upgraded/rehabilitated network of three roads, Adeola Hopewell Street, Idowu Taylor Street and Afribank Road in Iru, Victoria Island Local Development Area, recently.
The governor said, “At the inception of our administration in 2019, we promised to address the challenges of gross infrastructural degeneration and the perennial flooding issues that the people of the Lagos Central Senatorial District have had to contend with.
The roads’ commissioning, he said was, therefore, “a promise fulfilled and clearly demonstrates our audacious reforms in critical sectors of our economy, in line with our T.H.E.M.E.S Development Agenda.
“A major focus of our Greater Lagos Vision is the prioritisation of urban renewal and the development of road infrastructure as a means of enhancing the collective wellbeing of Lagosians. We have adopted an all-inclusive and people-centered approach that covers rural and urban areas, so that no part of Lagos State is left out.”
Victoria Island, he said, “used to be one of the cleanest and most orderly neighborhoods in Lagos State. However, the continuous growth of the area’s commercial activity, and by extension, its population, has led to various environmental and infrastructural challenges, among which are flooding and its attendant effects.
“The failure of many of the drainages and water channels on Victoria Island has consistently impeded the free flow of traffic, extending commuting time, causing damage to vehicles, low patronage for businesses, and generally poorer quality of life for the people who work and live here.
“As a responsive Government committed to the fulfillment of all electoral promises, we knew we had to do everything necessary to address and reverse this issue of incessant flooding and all its consequences in the area.
In February 2020, therefore, our administration awarded the contract for the reconstruction and upgrade of Adeola Hopewell, Idowu Taylor, and Afribank/Churchgate streets. We took cognisance of the need to provide an effective drainage system and improved drainage network, as well as the need to provide good connectivity with other roads in the vicinity.
“Today, those contracts have been successfully completed, and we are here to formally commission a network of reconstructed roads, which serve over 200,000 people daily.
“The completion of these roads validates our promise to improve the quality of life of Lagosians, promote massive socio-economic growth, and reciprocate the support we have enjoyed from this constituency in the last few years.”
The governor said, of the three roads being commissioned, Adeola Hopewell and Afribank/ Churchgate Streets are one-way traffic roads while Idowu Taylor is a two-way street. The three roads form a ring-road-like pattern that effectively discharges traffic into Sanusi Fafunwa Street and connects back to Adeyemo Alakija Street.
“I am confident that these newly completed roads will significantly reduce travel time, improve inter-connectivity with other roads within the vicinity and further boost business and investment opportunities in this area. The improved drainage system will also help to end the perennial flooding and erosion problems experienced in this area. The positive effects of this infrastructural upgrade will no doubt be felt well beyond Victoria Island.
“As always, I seek your continued support to ensure that these roads, upgraded with our commonwealth, are judiciously used and maintained. I urge you to refrain from any act that may compromise the integrity of these roads and undermine their durability, and to 4
not hesitate to report to the authorities anyone found committing such acts.
“It is indeed our collective responsibility to protect public infrastructure; doing this will free up government resources to do even more. I know that with the support of the community leaders and people of Iru-Victoria Island, the sustainability of these roads is guaranteed.”
In her welcome address, the Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye said the reconstruction these three prominent roads begun last year, and that prior to their reconstruction, these strategic roads were in deplorable state with a lot of complaints by the business community of the perennial flooding and inadequate capacity experienced on these roads.
“As you are aware, the three roads form a ring right in the heart of the highly commercialised area of Victoria island and they discharge traffic through Sanusi Fafunwa Street into the famous Akin Adesola Street. With the rehabilitation and upgrade of these network of three roads the challenge of flooding and inadequate capacity will now become a thing of the past and will also translate into improved free flow of traffic and to a much needed reduction in travel time for the business owners in the area and the motoring public at large.”
She the scope of work on the project includes but not limited to: site clearance; excavation and cart away of unsuitable materials; provision of drains and culverts; provision of suitable filling materials; provision of soil-cement stabilisation; provision of Crushed Stone Base; provision of interlocking paving stones on walkway and carriageway; provision of transverse and longitudinal service ducts; provision of pavement markings/Lane marking/kerb painting; provision of LED Streetlights connected to the Public supply and alternative generating set. The contractor was Messrs. Hi Tech Construction Company Ltd.
She said it is also pertinent to mention that a high standard of quality control and quality assurance has been maintained in the course of the construction of these roads and the roads will no doubt serve their purposes throughout the design life.
The Special Adviser said, “The event we are witnessing today serves as Phase 1 of the Urban Regeneration programme of the Governor Sanwo-Olu Administration for the Victoria Island axis. You would recall that it was about six months ago that we commissioned four roads in Ikoyi area under the same programme with three other roads in the same area presently under construction. In the same vein four roads in Ikeja GRA axis are presently at advanced stages of completion and would be commissioned very soon.
“In effect, the overall target of the Sanwo-Olu’s Administration has always been to develop a robust infrastructure portfolio across the length and breadth of the State that ultimately allows for a competitive business environment. Our conviction is that deploying modern road infrastructure will yield multiple dividends for Lagos and its residents.
“It is worthy to note that this project is also in consonance with the present Administration T.H.E.M.E.S policy agenda which is to provide enabling infrastructure that will boost the State economy to 21st century standard as well as to ensure efficient and sustainable infrastructure for social and economic growth of the Citizenry
“The roads being commissioned today, was approved for re construction in the year 2020 and comes with the full compliments of road furniture comparable to any standard in the world.
“The roads provides access to a lot of corporate offices and interconnects seamlessly with other roads in the area; Some of the other benefits derivable from the completion of the rehabilitation and upgrade of these roads are reduction in maintenance cost of vehicles of the motoring public as well as enhanced property value and socio – economic activities within the area.”
