Despite decline in oil prices, we’ll complete Lagos-Ibadan highway project ― Fashola

Regardless of the sharp decline in oil prices, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said Federal Government(FG) is committed to the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway project.

He stated that the highway in question is a trunk A road located in the South-West region of the country and was contracted in two sections (I and II) to Messrs Julius Berger Nigeria Plc and Messrs Reymond Construction (RCC) Limited respectively.

Fashola who spoke at an interactive town hall meeting with stakeholders at Ogere in Ogun State over the weekend said the 43.6km Section I of the project was the rehabilitation, reconstruction and expansion of Lagos-Ibadan dual carriageway commencing from the old-toll gate at Oregun/Ikosi-Ketu Lagos and terminates at Sagamu Interchange in Ogun State.

He also explained that  Section ll, which is about 84km starts from Sagamu Interchange to Ibadan and is being handled by RCC.

According to Fashola, the rehabilitation, construction and expansion of Lagos-Ibadan dual carriageway, construction of 2nd Niger bridge and the rehabilitation, construction and expansion of Abuja-Kaduna-Kano dual carriageway are strategic infrastructure development projects of Mr President.

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“These Highway projects are financed with the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) funded from the Sovereign Wealth Fund and they are National Priority Highway projects,” he said.

While fielding questions from stakeholders at the town hall meeting on the delay in completion of the project and other issues bothering on safety, he appealed to contractors to accelerate work to ease traffic flow, especially during the yuletide.

“You contractors should remember that you do this work for the people and that you must be passionate in doing it by easing the trauma people go through while on the road,” he added.

On his part, the Director, Highways Construction and Rehabilitation at the Ministry, Engr Olufunsho Adebiyi, added that the initial contract was only for the rehabilitation, reconstruction and expansion of Section l (Lagos to Shagamu interchange) and Section ll (Shagamu Interchange – Ibadan and also the rehabilitation of existing bridges on the road.

He stated that considering the heavy traffic on the highway, both contracts was changed to include the construction of new flyover bridges, Interchanges and Pedestrian bridges which made the contract sum to be at the tune of N134,861, 785,702.80 and N176, 503,901,413.68 for both Sections 1 & 2 respectively.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE