Lagos State Government has decried the increasing cases of hit-and-run and armed attacks on its operatives deployed in different parts of the state to carry out maintenance and repair works on the public roads in the night.
Chairman of the State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC), Mr. Gbenga Akintola, raised the concerned in a statement by the corporation’s chief media relations officer, Mr. Samuel Ayetutu, saying some of his operatives had been attacked while on night operations.
He acknowledged that the cases of hit-and-run by reckless motorists “are rampant, a situation which shows that motorists do not demonstrate full cooperation in road maintenance, repairs and rehabilitation”.
According to him, “some challenges we face is that deployed for night operations are facing. We still face a lack of full co-operation from motorists and residents and occasional resistance from miscreants who sometimes go to the extent of attacking maintenance operatives while on night duty.”
He however said the corporation had received tremendous support from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA) operatives, both whom often provide security and logistics services to aid the activities of the corporation’s maintenance workforce.
On the predicted torrential rainstorms in 2012, the chairman also acknowledged that the corporation had resumed night operations to promptly fix public roads, which it said are yet to be maintained in the state.
Akintola assured listeners that the heavy downpour being awaited would not have much devastating effect either on the state roads or on its residents.
He explained that the state government “is prepared for the havoc that torrential rainfall predicted for 2012 might wreak on Lagos roads, due to the high water table of Lagos terrain”.
He added that the corporation “is sticking to its all-year round maintenance policy,” which he said, would ensure that routine road repair work “continues even during the rainy season via the use of stabilised concrete materials and interlocking paving stone methods”.
Akintola also reiterated the need for Lagos residents to always treat the roads as their property and protect them by reporting any habits that can lead to road damage to relevant law enforcement agencies.
