Lagos assembly to investigate Ambode’s road projects

The Lagos state house of assembly has given approval to its committee on local government administration and community affairs to investigate the state-sponsored 114 road projects across the 57 council areas.

The approval followed the request made to the house by Akeem Alimi, the committee’s chairman, on Tuesday.

Alimi said the state government had so far spent N5.7 billion to construct roads across all the local councils.

He said the sum was just 30 per cent of the money the government earmarked for construction of two roads in each of the 57 local council areas.

Abiodun Tobun, chairman, house committee on works and infrastructure, said there were abandoned projects across the local governments in the state which needed to be monitored.

“There is a lot of compromise in the councils. The money involved is a whooping N5.7 billion; so we should monitor the projects,” Tobun said.

Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, chairman, house committee on judiciary, petitions, human rights and Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) said the fund involved was huge.

Tejuosho said the matter should be taken seriously, saying the lawmakers should be carried along with the way government’s fund was being spent.

Sanai Agunbiade, majority leader of the house, commended the committee for the proposal, saying “it is in line with the tradition of the house”.

“The chairman of the committee conceived this as a serious issue. We have oversight on the ministries and the projects they do,” he said.

“If the job is well done, we will take the glory and if it is the other way, we will be blamed.”

Rotimi Olowo, chairman, house committee on budget and economic planning, disagreed with the move, saying the projects were barely three months old.

Olowo said the projects were being supervised by the ministry of works and infrastructure.

“We can call on them to give us an update on the projects. They have the expertise to do that,” he said.

“Getting consultants to inspect the projects would cost us money.

“We can call on the supervising ministries not to pay the contractors until we are satisfied with the ones they have done so far.”

Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the house, advised that the community development committees (CDCs) in each of the local councils should be carried along in the inspection.

Obasa said the house had powers to supervise the projects as part of its oversight functions on the ministries and local governments.

He said the officials of the state ministry of works should also be contacted for the task by the committee.