P.M NEWS reports that the governor made this statement on Thursday, 7 August, 2014, while hosting the Presidential Committee for Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) led by its Chairman, General Martin Luther Agwai (retd) at the State House, Ikeja, Lagos, Souhwest Nigeria.
According to Fashola, there are 28 bridges belonging to the Federal Government in Lagos that had not been maintained in the last 40 years. Continue after the cut...
While noting that it was good that some of the SURE-P funds went into the repair of the Third Mainland Bridge, the governor stated that “there are not less than 28 bridges in Lagos that belong to the Federal Government that have not been maintained in the last 40 years.”
Fashola listed one of such bridges as the Apapa/Ijora bridge which, he said, has become a nightmare to drive on.
“The expansion joints of the Apapa/Ijora Bridge have widened so dangerously that it is a nightmare to drive on it.
Some of the studies that we did I have sent the report to the Federal Ministry of Works showing what needs to be done and how much it will cost to do them,” he said.
He added that these were places the infrastructures could be renewed at this time instead of investing in areas where state or local governments have already invested.
Fashola stated that since oil prices fluctuate globally, the Federal Government should be able to invest proceeds of the commodity during boom times on enduring infrastructure and services that benefit the larger society.
Fashola recalled that the Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF, set up by the Federal Government at the time of one of the booms, invested the money in roads in some parts of the country, adding that indigenes of those parts could today proudly say, but for the PTF, they would not have gotten such infrastructure.
While making his speech at the event, General Agwai (retd), said the purpose of the visit was to explore ways to partner with the Lagos State Government in order to facilitate the planned programmes of the Federal Government to create jobs, particularly for the nation’s graduates.
Agwai, who said the Committee was planning a Graduate Internship Scheme to commence in the state by 1 September, 2014, added: “We thought it would be better to inform you and not only that, to give you advance preparatory things to get you prepared and to let you look at your programmes and adjust and see whether you can accommodate us so that when we bring formal invitation you will be available for us as Chief Guest.”
Photo Credit: Naija Loaded
