Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Wednesday said that work on the proposed expansion and reconstruction of the Oshodi-International Airport Road would commence next month.

The Governor, who spoke at the Third Quarter Town Hall Meeting – the 8th in the series – held at the Badore Ferry Terminal, Lagos, also disclosed that plans were already underway to commence the construction of 181 Local Government roads next month.

On the Oshodi-International Airport Road, Ambode said the construction, which has already been awarded, would see the transformation of the road from four lanes to 10 lanes from Oshodi to the International Airport with interchange and flyover that would drop commuters to the local airport.

In May this year, the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo approved that the road be handed over to the state government for total reconstruction.

Ambode, who had described the current state of the road as a national disgrace, said that work would begin in earnest.

On the delay in the commencement of rehabilitation of 181 inner roads, Ambode said the development was due to the fluctuation in dollar rate at the time the bid was last opened, but that a new bid would be opened in the next two weeks, while work would commence next month.

“By the next two to three weeks, I will reopen the advert to get a new cost and all things been equal, the job would start on the roads by end of September,” he said.

Ambode also assured residents that the state Public Works unit would seize the period of the break of the rainy season to fix all potholes across the state in order to improve drive time for motorists.

Speaking on the Cleaner Lagos Initiative (CLI) billed to commence next month, Ambode urged the people to be patient with his administration as the plan, which is a holistic and comprehensive waste management policy, was currently in its gestation period.

He said once fully operational, waste would be collected in line with international best practices, while all parts of the state would be kept clean always.

The Governor however urged residents to adopt new attitude to disposing waste and desist from dumping in drainages and canals, assuring that the government would provide adequate bins to discourage indiscriminate dumping.

He said: “The question to ask is why are people putting their waste in the drains and canals hoping that somehow the water will flush it away? The answer comes back to government because we have not been able to provide the people with enough bins or places where they can put the dirt.

“They cannot leave the dirt in the house so they must have a channel to get it out. As government been able to provide enough locations, bins, bags and so on where they can put that refuse and then we can collect it and when we collect it efficiently, as part of their attitude, they will not go back to the canals and the drains. They will only go back to where we have provided for them.

“Now, so we have enough equipment to clean Lagos? Are we having enough dino bins, plastic bags, compactors that can go round the population of 22 million people? The answer before now is no. We are the largest waste producer in the world more than New York. New York produces 10,000 tonnes of waste every day, the waste accounted for in Lagos is 13,000 tonnes per day not to talk of areas that are not documented.”

Also, Ambode saidthat all the 20 Local Government and 37 Local Council Development chairmen had been mandated to ensure round-the-clock cleaning of the environment, while state government officials would be moving round to evacuate waste.

As part of the initiatives to enhance commuting within the state, the Governor said new modern bus terminals would be constructed commencing from this quarter in Marina, Ajah, Ojota, Agege, Iju Ishaga and Iyana Ipaja, while, as part of the integrated transport system, a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) would be constructed to connect Badore Jetty to Ajah.

He added that the Badore Road would be expanded at its entrance from Ajah Roundabout, while plans are afoot to construct Oke-Ira Nla Road as an alternative to totally eliminate traffic along the axis.

Responding to complaints by a resident of the axis, Mrs Abiodun Dina on the activities of dredgers who are fond of spoiling the road and parking indiscriminately on the road thereby subjecting people to avoidable traffic snarl, Ambode said that in as much as government was not interested in shutting down businesses but he would have to wield the big stick if the dredgers fail to comply with rules of engagement.

The town hall meeting had in attendance the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu I; members of the state Executive Council; members of the House of Assembly; top government functionaries, party chieftains and traditional rulers, among others.

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