Public works department in British colonial territories performed various functions, PWD carried out new constructions as stipulated in a budget as well as maintenance of government buildings, harbors, vehicles, sewage, water supply and equipment and furnishing connected to the projects.
[3] The initial road projects began in 1906 as developments out of the railway as it was extended from Lagos to other locations north of the colony.
Paths were cleared for road developments linking Ibadan to Oyo, Osogbo to Ilesha and Ede to Iwo.
Other new or improvement projects included Lokojo to Okene, Port Harcourt to Aba, Abakaliki to Ogoja, Jebba to Share, Zungeru-Bida, and Keffi to Nasarawa.
[7] The department also managed major waterworks project and was directly involved in the provision of pipe borne water to communities in Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Kaduna and Jos.
The first waterworks plant was built in Lagos; flow of water from Iju River was diverted into two settling tanks each capable of holding four million gallons before it was allowed to flow through sand filters and then pumped into an underground reservoir.
[3] The division also incorporated a training school for carpenters[3] and built workshops in major cities of the country such as Enugu, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna.
*Massey Hospital *European Hospital at Enugu and Jos *Yaba Estate Development Scheme PWD was headed by the director of Public Works, who was assisted by regional assistant directors manning three provinces.