Lagos, Edo, Imo survive on Federal presence; Fashola’s only achievement is ‘environmental sanitation’ – Maku

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, on Monday said that Lagos, Edo and Imo states survive entirely on infrastructures deployed to the states by the federal government.
He made this disclosure at the 2013 ministerial briefing on the transformation of the road sector in Nigeria, being part of activities marking the mid-term achievements of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to him, the good road networks in Edo and Lagos states were roads rehabilitated and funded by the Federal Government, citing Benin Ore road and Benin- Auchi expressway as practical examples.
According to Maku: “We toured all federal projects in Edo state. You can say that Edo state more than any state in the federation had a fairer share of Federal projects. When we went to Edo we discovered that Edo state today is benefiting entirely on federal roads, in fact the Minister of works is a son of Edo state.
Commenting on the development in Lagos state, Maku alleged that Governor Babatunde Fashola has not done anything significant and spectacular than “mere environmental sanitation”.
He further stated that 80 percent of the taxes collected in Lagos were derived from the federal infrastructure being put in place in the state .
“I can tell you today, I did my NYSC in Edo state. The only trunk A Road is the Lagos Benin Expressway.
“There was no other expressway, today in the same Edo state, when I went, I could not recognize at all; what is happening there now is that from Benin city to Warri, the road is an expressway; from Benin city again to Lagos express; and we just discovered that the road from Benin-city to Auchi and to Abuja is an ongoing expressway.

“So, you could see clearly that Edo state is resting heavily on federal infrastructures. Within Benin City, you could see federal road which people use to think were state roads. So when we went through those roads, during the good governance tour, the people of Edo state saw the huge difference the federal government has made on the life of Edo people.
“When we went to the Benin-Ore road, you could just lay your mat and sleep there. Honestly, I’m very sincere, you can go there and see it. Seeing is believing that was the situation of the transformations that these government has brought to the people.
“Lagos state particularly, that is where we have some of the criticism. You know more than I do that Lagos state lives essentially on federal infrastructures. All the major roads in Lagos belong to the federal government. We just completed the 3rd Mainland bridge; the Apapa-Orile- Mile 2 Cele, Isolo, Oshodi road, that road was hardly motorable, now you go there and you see clearly that the federal road in Lagos which are the artery whether you are moving through the Ikorodu road to Lagos or through 3rd mainland to Apapa or moving through Apapa to sagamu all those roads are federal roads.
“Don’t forget all of these BRT are done on federal roads; the BRT runs on federal roads, and everybody knows this, so essentially what you see in Lagos is the infrastructure of the federal government.
“And indeed more than 80 percent of taxes collected in Lagos are on federal infrastructure. In fact, the governor of Lagos had done no significant thing other than environmental sanitation. On a serious note, I must say this; Lagos is living essentially on federal infrastructures.
The Minister added that the same situation applies to Imo state, suggesting that the non PDP states in the country are relying on the roads and other infrastructures provided by the federal government in their respective states.