The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) on Tuesday appealed to Nigerians to support government on protection of public infrastructure.
It said this was necessary to prevent damage and abuse leading to wastage of funds.
Mr Olaniyi Kolawole, Director, East Operations, FERMA Headquarters, Abuja made the appeal while inspecting rehabilitation works on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
The project inspected is the “Emergency/Urgent Repairs of Critical Failed Sections between (Anuoluwapo Shopping Complex -Agbara Market), Lagos Bound and (Agbara Market-Ajibade) Badagry bound.
The project falls within Lagos 2 West Zone, under the Supervision of Mr Olisah Emeter, the Federal Roads Maintenance Engineer (FRME) in charge of the zone.
Kolawole said Nigerians deserve smooth roads and the agency began a special intervention programme by direct labour during the Yuletide to fulfill the obligation.
He, however, said the agency was confronted with several forms of road abuse sabotaging its efforts.
“This intervention is something we started since December, 2023, we call it Operation Connect Your Destination.
“We used the Yuletide period as a taking off point to reduce areas of traffic constriction so that Nigerians would be able to travel freely, but beyond the Yuletide period, Nigerians deserve better roads, smooth drive.
“This place where we are (Agbara Market) has been an area of recalcitrant problem because of the human activities around here.
“There are two markets on both sides. To my right is the market belonging to Ogun State, to my left is the market belonging to Lagos State.
“Due to these human activities, the drainage, both on the road shoulders and the median has become the dumping ground for waste generated by people,” he said.
He said FERMA had carried out rehabilitation works between Ajibade and Okokomaiko bus stop areas in addition to evacuation of the drains.
Kolawole said due to paucity of funds, the FRME in charge of the section had not been able to complete the work but had done the major portions.
He said plans were on to cover the drainage channels with slabs to prevent people from stuffing them with refuse.
He said FERMA was also planning a meeting with community leaders, transport unions, traders and other stakeholders on the axis to tackle the menace of drain stuffing and road abuse.
“So far, I am impressed, I have seen the good work done by the FRMEs, both the paliatives and the complete permanent solutions.
“The money we are spending here is our money, it is everybody’s money, it’s tax payers money, unfortunately, it is the same tax payers activities that is creating the problem.
“So, I want to plead to the community, to the public, that we should own federal properties or government properties, we should take it as our own, we should protect it.
“So, any refuse we drop in the drain is a minus because it will not allow water to flow. This will cause flooding that will spoil the road.
“It is your money, my money, tax payers money that will be spent to repair it again. So, we should have a positive community action towards government property,” he said.
The FERMA boss said he inspected Lagos East roads on Monday and rehabilitation and palliative works had been done to fix bad portions on Epe-Itoiki and Ikorodu towards Lagos.
FERMA South West 2 Zonal Coordinator, Mr Olayemi Olaniyan, also made further clarification on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway rehabilitation from Okokomaiko to Ajibade.
Olaniyan unveiled his plans for roads in two zones in Lagos and one in Ogun which are under his jurisdiction.
“Our plan for 2024 is to make all our road network in the state (Lagos) motorable, including Ogun State.
“We plan to intervene in so many sections of our roads, majorly between Jibowu and Ikorodu dual carriageway,” he said.
He listed other roads to receive attention to include Ijora Olopa and Carter Bridge.
“We are doing milling, reinstatement, scarification, we are doing surfacing of existing routes and then, we are doing pavement strengthening of those roads too.
“Similarly too, we are working on access to bridges which are ramps,” he said.
He listed ramps receiving attention to include Awolowo and Sura-Obalende ramps.
He added that roads exiting the state were receiving attention, citing Epe-Ikorodu, link roads to Sagamu-Ijebu Ode and Ajibandele, Isheri North at the Sagamu Interchange as examples.
He said there were ongoing projects across Lagos with some just completed in Victoria Island.
Alhaji Teliatu Gbadamosi, a leader in Morogbo Community and the Chairman National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Badagry Branch commended FERMA for the Badagry Expressway project.
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Gbadamosi said about three months ago, the Agbara Market section was terrible and impassible but FERMA’s intervention had made the road smooth again.
He appealed to the agency to complete the rehabilitation of the Ajibade section before the rainy season to prevent flooding and hardship on road users.
Other motorists who spoke with journalists praised FERMA for the rehabilitation works but appealed for sustained action to keep the highway motorable. (NAN)
