Despite huge tax, Lagosians commute through bad roads (photos/video)

The rainy season is always a test of how good or bad Lagos roads are and the recent downpour of rain has shown that very few roads passed the integrity test.

Daily Times gathered that according to the National Bureau of Statistics, Lagos generated N5,185,229,859.85 in road taxes in the first half of 2020 which is the highest in all the 36 states and the FCT. Unfortunately, this is not enough to appropriately fix the major roads in the state.

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For a state which considers itself the centre of excellence, one would expect major road networks to be in good shape to so that movement of citizens and god would be seamless. However, many Lagosians spends a number of hours on the road stuck in traffic. These congestions are sometimes caused by slow movement of vehicles due to huge potholes which become waterlogged during the rainy seasons.

The Lagos Island axis of the state boasts of high-rising office buildings housing multi-million naira companies that also pay huge taxes to the government. However, employees and employers have to navigate through bad roads to get to and from work.

For a lot of Lagosians, time is of the utmost essence but many spend valuable hours stuck in traffic trying to navigate through these roads. An average Lagosian spends about three hours on the road. Some people spend as much as five to eight hours within a state that is the smallest in land size in the country. In fact, it is possible for someone to travel from Lagos to Ilorin and still get to their destination faster than someone working on the Island and living in Ipaja.

Take for example the Water Corporation Road, Oniru which leads to a lot of companies that pay tax to the government. The state of the road is very poor and has deteriorated to the point where it may even be better to navigate it with a canoe than a car.

The state of the road has its negative economic impact on businesses as the hospitality and tourism industry also needs good roads to encourage people to patronize it.

From a health perspective, driving through a bad road can lead to back pain for some people and in the long run can worsen if it is an exercise they have to undertake every day.

The Lagos state government has a responsibility to play in making sure major and important roads are in good shape in order to live up to its glory as an economic and business-friendly hub.