Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that the ongoing rehabilitation/reconstruction of Lagos-Badagry Expressway meets international standard.
Governor Sanwo-Olu made the call when he received members of the Senate Committee on Works who paid him a courtesy visit at the State House, Alausa Ikeja.
The governor, who disclosed that the state government was working on 10-lane on the expressway from LASU to Okokomaiko corridor, expressed the belief that the Federal Ministry of Works should also replicate same from Agbara to Seme border.
Sanwo-Olu argued that constructing two lanes on the expressway would not the international standard since it is an international gateway to the country.
“Lagos-Badagry is an international gateway. We are constructing 10-lane from LASU junction to Okokomaiko. We are using state financing. So from Agbara to Seme border, we said to them to keep to 10 lanes instead of two,” the governor said.
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Sanwo-Olu said the state government had been taking the opportunity offered by Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to finance some of its road projects, citing the example of 4th Mainland Bridge which he said was now at various level of procurements.
The governor, while noting that Lagos as the former capital city had inherited both federal government assets and liabilities and had been managing the assets which he described as a huge responsibility, expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for giving his support at the budgetary level through the ministry of works.
He also thanked the Senate Committee on Works for its oversight function to Lagos.
“First is to thank Mr President for giving the support at the budgetary level through the ministry of works. More importantly to thank the committee for the oversight function to Lagos,” Governor Sanwo-Olu said.
In his opening address, the Senate Committee chair, Senator Adamu Aliero, said they were on an inspection tour of Federal Government roads project in the state.
According to him, the projects listed for inspection includes, Lagos-Ibadan, Lagos- Badagry, Apapa-Oshodi and Ishagamu-Ikorodu expressways.
Aliero, who was the former Governor of Kebbi State, noted that “there are other projects in the state but these four attracted our attention.”
While expressing the commitment of President Buhari to ensure speedy completion especially the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Aliero stated that Lagos was strategic to Nigeria’s development.
Speaking further, the former governor disclosed that the Senate was coming up with a legislation on PPP, saying with such arrangement put in place on roads, the government would be able to shift attention to education, health, among others.