Press Releases

Fashola To FG: Seek Input Of States On Choice, Location Of Projects

Nov 23, 2009 - Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) on Monday charged the Federal Government to regularly seek the input of State Governments before deciding on choice and location of projects to be embarked upon in order to enable people get the best of such projects.

According to Governor Babatunde Fashola who spoke when he received the members of the Senate Committee on Works led by Senator Julius Ucha at Lagos House, Ikeja, it is the States that are best positioned to identify projects and locations which would serve the interests of the greatest number of people.

Governor Fashola added that currently, State Governments only learn of the award and commencement of some projects from the pages of newspapers, adding that in some instances, some contractors have local problems settling down, stressing that it is only the states that can settle such problems.

Said he: “While it is fair to budget for the whole country, we should have an input into which road constitute a priority road to be constructed in my State. We can determine the particular road that accommodates the highest traffic daily. Instead of tarring three or four roads we can advise that you should take only one major road and do”.

Governor Fashola explained that it makes no sense if people commute on feeder roads which have been constructed and get to the major carriage way and see that they cannot move.

The Governor also sought the intervention of the Senate Committee on the shoreline protection of the outer Marina which needs attention because of the ravages of erosion, warning that if not quickly attended to may affect the Army Officers Mess building and the dual carriageway of the main road.

Governor Fashola also asked the Committee to take a look at the ongoing practice of laying cables across major roads and kerbs such as the one going on at Osborne Road and the Carter Bridge.

He warned that while there is nothing wrong in laying cable, it is very unacceptable that in the hurry to provide a service, another service is being damaged, stressing that the breaking of concrete to lay cables will threaten the integrity of the road.

While commenting on the ongoing resurfacing of the Third Mainland Bridge, Governor Fashola sought expedited action which would allow more work to be done now that the dry season is here.

He said the time is ripe for Nigerians in the Diaspora to bring back their capitals from outside the country and invest in the process of building infrastructure, adding that it is only when more Nigerian construction companies spring up that the necessary human capacity development can take place.

The Lagos State Governor said it would be fool hardy for anyone to quarrel with the legislative arm for exercising oversight function on the Executive, adding that it is an exercise that compliments the process of delivery of commitments made to the citizenry.

He emphasized that while 10 years of democratic experience might not be regarded as being a very long period in the life of a nation, there has been so much to learn about self governance.

Said he: “In an era of conflicting interest, where there is no superior force, ultimately the rallying point would be a consensus of opinion among dissenting views”.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Julius Ucha said the Committee was in Lagos as part of its constitutional role of ensuring that the policy thrust is reflective of Acts of Parliament and that there is a correlation between what has been budgeted and what has been expended.

He stressed that the exercise of oversight function is not an investigation, but that which is expected to motivate the Government to do what it is supposed to, adding that the committee has just concluded a tour of the South East.

He said in line with these, the present Government at the Centre identified some very critical roads which cut across zones, saying seven of such roads have been identified in the South West.

He stated that that the Government gave specific directives that contracts must be awarded for such roads during the 2009 fiscal year, adding that from inputs from ten Federal Ministry of Works, over 95 percent of the projects have been awarded.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engineer Ganiyu Johnson said the Senators were in Lagos as part of the exercise of their oversight functions.

He said the members were expected to visit federal roads projects such as the Lagos Badagry Expressway as well as some portions of the distressed part of the Ijora Badia road.

Among those present at the event were some members of the State Executive Council, and Senators Bukar Aba Ibrahim, Ganiyu Solomon, James Manager and Senator Bode Ola.