The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has blamed the Federal Government for its role in the worsening traffic gridlock in the state by neglecting its roads in the state.
The party, therefore, urged the Federal Government to assist Lagos State by tackling the problem immediately.
The Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, said this during an interview with our correspondent on Thursday.
Igbokwe said the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway and many other roads were neglected by the Peoples Democratic Party-led Federal Government.
He recalled that when former Governor Babatunde Fashola attempted to repair the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan refused to give him permission to do so.
He said Ambode was constructing over 100 inner roads simultaneously. He, therefore, urged the Federal Government to play its part so that the roads could be relatively free once more.
Igbokwe said, “Our roads are not too good; most of the roads are federal roads and we cannot just deploy equipment on federal roads. I remember Fashola attempted to fix the road that leads to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport but the Jonathan government did not give him the permission and it is still in a mess.
“Ambode is currently repairing over 114 inner roads in every local government.He plans to complete them before the end of the year but we must also be thinking of the 4th Mainland Bridge because that is the only way we can solve this crisis. The way out is to build new roads and if the Federal Government does not assist Lagos, the gridlock will get worse.
“By next year, the Okokomaiko-Marina light rail will be completed and if the Federal Government can assist us with the completion of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, it will help. While the state government is playing its part, the Federal Government must also play its own part. And now that we are in the same party, it is achievable.”
The APC spokesman, in a separate statement, said President Muhammadu Buhari’s planned visit to Lagos on Friday (today), to inaugurate security equipment was a welcome development.
Igbokwe said Lagos had achieved a historic alignment with the Federal Government for the purpose of consolidating on the progress that the state had achieved in its “16 years of progressive governance.