POISED to ensure good road within the Lagos state metropolis, an agency, Lagos State, Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) has organised a one-day stakeholders' forum for the religious leaders in the state.The forum, which was the fifth in the series, and held in the Banquet Hall of LSPWC Complex, Ojodu, Lagos, was meant to sensitise the religious groups on how their numerous followers can consciously support the government's drive towards delivery good road in the state. In attendance were leaders of the Christian, Muslim and traditional religious groups in all the Local Councils and Local Council Development Areas.Speaking at the Forum on the theme: 'Role of the public in curbing road damage,' the Executive Chairman of LSPWC, Mr. Gbenga Akintola, said that the corporation has not restricted its activities to the state roads alone but has extended its road maintenance work to both the Federal and local council roads.According to Akintola, the selection of the religious leaders for the Forum was informed by their position as spiritual leaders with vast followership whom can easily be swayed in decision-making.The corporation, he said, realised that 'as spiritual leaders with vast number of followers, you are an important factor in the road maintenance campaign. We believe that as men of God charged with responsibility of impacting moral values on your followers, you will not hesitate to support the corporation in spreading the gospel on the proper use of roads to your followers,' he said.The corporation, he noted, wanted to listen to the views of the stakeholders, adding that the management was ready to make necessary corrections. 'We are partners in this road advocacy campaign because the road belongs to us all. It is our heritage and we must keep it from damage,' Akintola said.The resource person at the forum, Mr. Ganiyu Aiyepe, explained that the coastal nature of Lagos makes the roads vulnerable to damage and therefore the public must desist from habits capable of causing more damage to the roads.He listed a number of habits that he said constitute abuse to include: Dumping of refuse in the drains, burning of items such as tyres on asphalt roads, excess axle load and the indiscriminate cutting of road, spillage of water from car wash on roads, removal of manhole covers and pouring of petroleum products on roads.Aiyepe lamented that the reason why the residents seem not to feel the impact of the huge amount spent by government on road maintenance is because the public has failed to desist from habits capable of causing avoidable damage to the infrastructure.'The reason why we have a lot of bad roads all around us is not because LSPWC has not been performing its function, rather the public has not played its part on the issue of road maintenance, especially by desisting from habits capable of causing road damage,' he said, pointing out that for the state to experience smooth roads all year round, they have to be well maintained and used properly. He called on the religious leaders to pass the message to their followers so that the essence of the forum will not be lost.
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