Babatunde Gbadamosi decries poor state of federal roads in Lagos East

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial aspirant for the vacant seat in Lagos East, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, has decried the poor state of federal roads in the district, saying he would explore all avenues to ensure that those roads were quickly repaired, “considering how important they all are to the economy of Lagos East in particular and Nigeria in general.”

This was just as he also denounced what he termed the grossly under-represented in most federal establishments of people of Lagos East, contrary to provisions of the constitution, promising to look into it “rectify that very aggressively, to get federal employment for our teeming unemployed youths.”

Gbadamosi gave this pledge while speaking with the Tribune Online on his mission and vision for the good people of Lagos East if chosen as the party’s candidate and eventually elected into the 109-member Upper Legislative Chamber in the forthcoming by-election.

The seat became vacant following the death, last month, of the incumbent, Senator Sikiru Adebayo Osiniwo, a former four-time member of Lagos State House of Assembly, who got elected into the Senate in 2019.

According to PDP senatorial aspirant, who contested the last governorship poll on the platform of Action Democratic Party (ADP), some of the affected roads include Ikorodu Road, Lagos-Sagamu Expressway, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Third Mainland Bridge Road and Lagos-Ijebu Ode Expressway, saying they all passed through Lagos East, but were all in a dilapidated state.

“Some of the most important Federal Roads in Lagos State are in, or serve Lagos East. Ikorodu Road, Lagos-Sagamu Expressway, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Third Mainland Bridge Road and Lagos-Ijebu Ode Expressway all pass through Lagos East and are all in dilapidated states.

“I shall be fighting to ensure that these roads are repaired ASAP, considering how important they all are to the economy of Lagos East in particular and Nigeria in general,” he said.

“Ditto for federal facilities, both privately owned and publicly owned, in this senatorial district,” he added.

Gbadamosi said once voted in as lawmaker, he would his colleagues to seek an amendment to the country’s Sales Tax Laws to ensure they benefit those who were paying it, contending that this was to ensure equitable development for the payers.

Gbadamosi, while saying that Lagos State generates more than 70per cent of the Value Added Tax (VAT) collected by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), but gets to spend not more than 10per cent of it, declared that such which he termed VAT flight should be “reversed to ensure equitable development for those paying it.”

“Lagos State generates more than 70% of the VAT collected by the FIRS, but gets to spend not more than 10% if it. We will be seeking to domesticate VAT, so that it is collected by state governments, for the direct benefit of those paying it.

“Of course, this is some measure of devolution of powers, which dovetails into the issue of restructuring of Nigeria. Lagos is host to Apapa Port, TinCan Island Port, Ikorodu Lighter Terminal, the upcoming port at Lekki, as well as Murtala Mohammed International Airport, but because the revenues generated at these facilities do not stay in Lagos, they and/or the infrastructure around them are in various stages of dilapidation. The restructuring will address this,” the PDP chieftain stated.

Speaking further, the politician promised that he would also be advocating for the amendment of the Land Use Act, the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005, among others for the benefit of Lagosians.

He said it was quite frustrating to see Egbin Thermal Power Plant cited right inside Lagos East Senatorial District, while the people of the district still suffer from lack of power due to the requirement to feed what he described as “the decrepit National Grid” is quite frustrating, and I shall be seeking amendments to rectify this.

“To see Egbin Thermal power plant in Lagos East, and knowing that we suffer from lack of power due to the requirement to feed the decrepit National Grid is quite frustrating, and I shall be seeking amendments to rectify this,” he promised.

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