Lagos-Ibadan expressway a death trap ― lawmaker

The lawmaker representing Oluyole Federal Constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, has urged the Federal Government to urgently construct pedestrian bridges along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway within the metropolis of Ibadan, Oyo State.

Akande-Sadipe, said this while presenting a copy of a petition from Concerned Youth for Welfarism before the house at plenary, noting that to save lives and improve economic interactions of the people, the Federal Government should urgently construct pedestrian bridges at five locations on the expressway.

Akande-Sadipe said that Nigeria’s population growth and economic development requires improved transport infrastructure, through investments in roads, railways, and aviation, shipping and inland waterways.

She added that the population increase has spilled into some parts of Ibadan such that there is a major need to cross the highway for access to schools, homes, places of employment, markets among others.

The lawmaker however noted that Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is key to effective highway construction planning.

She said deaths attributed to the current state of the road could have been avoided, if an EIA had been completed.

She further observed that the ongoing advocacy for the pedestrian bridges are being ignored by stakeholders who ought to take authoritative action to save lives.

“I am convinced that there is a need to construct pedestrian bridges along this expressway to save lives, reduce sufferings of the people, improve economic interactions from both sides of the expressway and so on,” she said.

She opined that the ongoing construction on the expressway has become a potential death trap, saying “the ongoing construction of Lagos –Ibadan expressway does not make any arrangement for pedestrian bridges despite the safety implications.”

Akande-Sadipe therefore appealed to the Federal Government and the leadership of the House of Representatives to ensure immediate construction of pedestrian bridges along Technical University; Toll Gate, Ibadan; Fẹ́lẹ̀lẹ̀, Ìbàdàn; Sókà, Ìbàdàn; Sanyo, Ìbàdàn; Bólúwají, Ìbàdàn; Academy; and Eléruku.

She also called for construction of two bridges between Muslim and Ọlọ́hun-Ṣògo, Ìbàdàn; two Bridges between Ọlọ́hun-Ṣògo and Ọ̀rẹ́-Méjì Bridges; Three Bridges between Ọ̀rẹ́-Méjì and Ìwó Road; Three Bridges between Ìwó Road and General Gas’ bridge; Five Bridges between General Gas and Ọ̀jọ́ọ.

“I urged the House to, as a matter of urgency call on the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to ensure it either compels the contractor to commence the construction of pedestrian bridges at the noted locations if already in the current scope of work, or to use any emergency means to effect a variation on the existing contract to accommodate same,” she reiterated.

She also urged the Honourable Minister and the Committee on Works to urgently intervene.

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