Call me, Nigerian minister says

Ogunlewe: 'People must be able to criticize you.'

Nigeria's works minister has given out his mobile phone number and urged people to use it if they see any pot-holes or have a traffic accident.

Adeseye Ogunlewe told BBC News Online that he had been inundated with calls by day and night since he made his number public.

"I don't regret it, I am here to serve the public," he said.

Nigeria's roads are notorious for their pot-holes but Mr Ogunlewe said: "They are fantastic now."

He said that 12,600km of roads had been rehabilitated in the past six months.

'Free to criticise'

Mr Ogunlewe published his fax number: + 234 95211623, as well as his mobile phone number: + 234 8033115872.

He said that if a pot-hole is reported, he informed the works department in the relevant area.

If someone says there has been an accident, he tells Nigeria's federal road safety authority.

Nigeria's ministers are often seen as being remote from the people but Mr Ogunlewe said that some of his colleagues want to follow his lead.

"People must be able to ask questions. They must be able to criticise you," he said.