The Lagos State Government on Friday inaugurated 11 roads in Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), in order to enhance the livability of the area for the residents.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, inaugurated the roads, accompanied by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, and some members of the cabinet.
He also inaugurated three blocks of 12 classrooms, 24 toilets, recreational arena for the Gbagada Girls Junior Secondary School and four free shuttle buses for students in the LCDA.
Speaking at the ceremony, Sanwo-Olu commended the LCDA Chairman, Mr Kolade Alabi, for the projects, while calling on other local government chairmen to emulate him.
”I am not only impressed, I am totally encouraged as to what I have seen here this afternoon. Honourable Kolade Alabi David is a point of contact for all our other chairmen. What we have seen here today is real transformation of Bariga.
”We are excited because we have seen three strategic life-changing interventions. He has intervened in the health sector by providing a ‘Grade A’ primary health facility.
”He has intervened in the educational sector by doing what he has done in Gbagada Girls Junior Secondary School and he has also intervened in the infrastructure by seeing all of the road networks that he has brought to the people of Bariga,” he said.
According to him, the 11 road projects inaugurated include Adetoke Street, Community Street, Emmanuel Street, Ewenla Street and Olobokun Street.
”We have also finished Egberungbe Street, we have finished Olusegun Line, we have finished Thomas Drive, we have finished Adeyinka Street, we have finished Falosa Street, we have also finished Jejolaosho Street.
”I think it is an honour and a privilege that we stand here to commend your local government chairman.
”So as a government and just to demonstrate our commitment that we are happy with what we have seen, very soon, we shall start the immediate rehabilitation from the gate of Unilag from St. Finnarrs Road to Jagunmolu Street to Diya Street and we will take it to Soluyi Street.
”We will ensure that we complement this extensive road right from St. Finbarrs road, we will ensure that we tar the entire stretch. All of the roads will start rehabilitation immediately,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said that his administration would be appointing a Special Adviser to the Governor from the Bariga LCDA to support the government.
Earlier in his address, the LCDA Chairman, Kolade Alabi said that in the 80s the area of the roads being commissioned was called mosquito village.
Alabi said that it was part of his campaign promises to transform the area for better.
”I told the people of Bariga that I am going to bridge the gap between dreams and reality,” he said.
The chairman said that he aligned with the School of Thought that believed that local government had the capacity and capability to do all things.
”So, this is a demonstration that local government has the capability and capacity to do things that people think that we cannot do.
”What we have done in Bariga is to key into the agenda of Mr Governor, and that is the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda, and if you look at the T.H.E.M.E.S, the area of transport and traffic we have keyed into that.
”Hence, our making of these roads to 3rd Mainland. The roads have two cardinal exits to 3rd Mainland, this is to reduce the gridlock that we have in Lagos State and in Bariga,” he said.
