Gboyega Akinsanmi
The Lagos State Government has disclosed that it had injected a whopping sum of N19 billion into revamping and refurbishing various infrastructure projects at the grassroots between January and August in the state.
The state government added that the injection of N19 billion led to the creation of 5,000 direct jobs and 10,000 indirect jobs through its aggressive grassroots infrastructure renewal.
The state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode disclosed this while inaugurating some of the 114 inner-city roads in Agege, Epe, Yaba, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Ojokoro, Eti-Osa, Onigbongbo and Ikorodu recently.
At the inauguration, Ambode said his administration had made the economy of Lagos the most viable in the country by investing N19 billion of the state and local governments’ funds in the infrastructure renewal.
Contrary to the practice in other climes, Ambode said 89 indigenous contractors, which went through a bidding process in line with international best practices, were engaged to execute the projects.
The governor, therefore, acknowledged that the manner the indigenous contractors executed the projects practically demonstrated the capacity of the construction industry in Lagos and Nigeria at large.
By completing 114 roads across 57 local councils in the state between January and August this year, Ambode said his administration “has translated vision to action and transformed our dream reality.”
By implication, Ambode said across the length and breadth of the state, from the nooks of Badagry to the crannies of Igbonla, from the corners of Odeomi to the creeks of Ikorodu, a new Lagos “has emerged at the centre and peripheries.”
He said the new Lagos “is a Lagos with 56.1 kilometres of roads; standard new roads. It is a Lagos with more than 112 kilometres of walkways and covered drainages. It is indeed a Lagos with more than 56 kilometres of independently powers street lights to enhance the security of neighbourhoods and elevate Lagos as the megacity of shimmering lights and economy.”
At Agege, the Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare and the Olu of Agege, Oba Kamila Oyedeji said the state government remains committed to running an all-inclusive government.
He said the state government had concluded plan to regenerate the state with a more technology-driven solid waste management, pledging to embark on more infrastructure development at the grassroots.
Adejare disclosed that the Ambode administration was set to adopt a solid waste management approach in a way that it has never been done in Africa, adding that the state government would engage more experts to evacuate waste on the streets of Lagos.
This plan is in line with the waste-to-wealth scheme of the government, where both organic and inorganic waste products are recycled into new viable products and by-products for new processing.
