Lagos speeds up work to meet projects completion

In a bid to complete ongoing projects under its purview on schedules, Office of Works, Lagos state Ministry of Works and Infrastructure has doubled activities to ensure completion of the projects. Currently, schools, hospitals, courts and other public utilities are being rehabilitated while new ones are being constructed where necessary across the state.

Against this background, the Office of Works, being the repository of government’s technical competence in the area of public buildings, has the duty to ensure compliance with standards. The office is the consultant to all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government in the area of public buildings. Through this function, the office has helped the government save millions of naira on the cost of construction of public buildings.

Road-constructionAside from construction works, the Office of Works is also responsible for the maintenance of a retinue of government facilities, which include, the Secretariat Complex, Staff Quarters and a number of equipment. These responsibilities Lagosians said, have been discharged creditably well.

Projects also being undertaken by the Office are Ministry of Science and Technology Complex, Multi-Agency Building, Alausa, Multi-Storey Building in Lagos Island, Magistrate Courts located in Ajegunle, Ogba, Epe, Ikeja, Badagry, ongoing one in Igando and Lagos Arbitration Centre. In the education sector, Works department has completed Senate Building, Student Union Arcade, Central Library, Faculty of Management Sciences, and 3-in-1 Lecture Theatre, all at the Lagos State University (LASU) In addition, the Office has embarked on a 3-floor building extension, sited at Harvey road, Health Centre, College of Health Technology, Yaba and renovation of Ayinke House, Ikeja General Hospital.

Egan-Igando Housing is another ongoing project embarked upon by the office. To tackle the security situation across the metropolis, Office of Works has equally completed the Police Officers Wives Association’s (POWA) Secretariat in Lagos, including Police Model Area Command, Ilashe, Police Model Area Command, Elemoro in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area as well as Police Model Area Command, Idimu.

Not left behind by of Office of Works, are Oyingbo Market, Igando Relief Camp and Agege Stadium and Abesan Sport Centre. In the area of tourism, the office has embarked on the completion of ongoing projects such as a 48-bedroom hotel, Fire Service Station, Lekki and Tourism Development Centre, Badagry. These projects are excluded from the completed ones which spread across every sector of human life.

Speaking on the activities of the Office at the weekend, the state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, reiterated government’s determination to complete the 16 ongoing projects, noting that as much as the ministry is interested in early completion, issue of quality and sustainability of the projects will not be compromised.

This item featured originally in Vanguard news