LAGOS State Government yesterday flagged off the construction of 114 inner roads spread across all the 20 Local Government councils and 37 Local Government Development Area (LGA/LCDAs).

The project, estimated at the cost of N17.5b, is the first phase of the state government’s plan to fix all roads in the state and is expected to be completed within six months. The project would commence simultaneously in all the councils within the next seven days.

Explaining the project, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Steve Ayorinde, said the mission for the actualization of the project started in October 2015 when Governor Akinwumi Ambode met with the executive secretaries of all the 57 councils in the state, and agreed with them on the need to massively embark on rehabilitation and construction of inner roads across the State.

Ayorinde said that the project was designed to complement the massive road construction and rehabilitation going on in the state, which culminated in the repair of 300 roads in just seven months, adding that same was in sync with the determination of the current administration to make Lagos work for all.

Chairman of Conference 57, the umbrella body of Executive Secretaries of LGAs and LCDAs in the State, Kolade Alabi, recalled that upon assumption of office, Ambode directed the Council bosses to submit a list of two inner roads in each of the Councils for construction in the first phase of the initiative through open competitive bidding.

Alabi said stakeholders such as the Community Development Associations (CDAs) and others were involved in the preparation, implementation and monitoring of the project, adding that a transparent process was also adopted in the appointment of contractors that would execute the project.

Alabi, who is also the Executive Secretary of Bariga LCDA, further, disclosed that the 114 roads would be of best standard with walkways, streetlights and drainage, adding that contractors have already been mobilized with payment of 30 percent of the total cost.

The remaining cost of the project, according to Alabi, would be released as work progress on the project.