Motorists and communities along the Lagos-Abeokuta road may soon heave a sigh of relief as the Federal Government has finally conceded the reconstruction of the road to the Ogun State Government,
Governor Dapo Abiodun enthusiastically announced the development on his X’s page on Monday evening. He wrote: “Approximately a month ago, the Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi, paid us a visit to inspect the Federal Government’s road infrastructure in Ogun State. During this visit, we had the opportunity to express our concerns and aspirations for the improvement of these roads, which we believe would greatly contribute to the socioeconomic development of our state. Today, I am pleased to inform you that the Federal Government has entrusted our administration with the reconstruction of the Abeokuta/Sango Ota Tollgate Road. This decision brings us great joy as it signifies a commendable step towards alleviating the challenges faced by road users on this particular route”.
After several years of neglect, the Federal Government flagged off reconstruction work on 14th May 2018. The contract was awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria and Reynolds Construction Company Limited at N22 billion with two sections of the expressway (Lagos to Ota and Ota to Abeokuta) expected to be reconstructed. But road brought more agony than relief as work was abandoned.
Last weekend, the entourage of the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and that of Abiodun were held in traffic for three hours on the dilapidated road on their way to Ilaro to attend the grand finale of the week-long 2023 Yewa Cultural Festival.
In the traffic gridlock were Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele; former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal; former Edo State Governor, Senator Adams Oshiomohle; and former Niger State Governor, Senator Sani Bello, among others.
On Monday, the Ogun State Government commended the Federal Government for approving its plan to take over the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Road and transform it into a world-class carriageway.
Although the road is Trunk A and belongs to the Federal Government, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) gave the Ogun State Government a nod to fix and toll the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
The state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya said that the state is ready to take on the project and end the many years of suffering of her people.
He also commended the governor for his resilience in pursuit of the approval, recalling that the struggle to get approval from the federal government started in 2019.
The commissioner stated that the decision to allow the state to take over the project is the best thing that can happen to the people of the state and other users of the road.
“With the transfer done now, we are happy and ready to immediately take over the project and turn around the fortunes of the road. It’s what we’ve been looking for, and praying for since we came on board. We will take over immediately, subject to paper works between us and the federal ministry.
“Severally, Governor Abiodun and Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State wrote the presidency and the Federal Works Ministry seeking the handover of, among other roads, the Lagos-Sango Ota-Abeokuta Road, Ikorodu-Ogijo-Sagamu road and Sagamu-Ijebu Ode-Benin road.
“But the response then was that all the roads were under contract at the time, so nothing happened. But our governor, determined to see an end to the hardship being experienced by our people, did not give up until he was able to seal the deal on Sunday”.
Explaining that the length of the road is roughly 70 kilometres with Ogun State having about 61 kilometres with the remaining in Lagos State, Akinsanya said that, while waiting for the approval, the state government kept doing all it could to make the road manageable for motorists.
Umahi also said, after the FEC meeting on Monday, that the project would be carried out under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), adding that the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Federal Ministry of Finance would be involved in the process.
Umahi said: “On permission to build federal roads, when such requests are made, we give approval within 24 hours but then there are conditions to be met – they must have to use the Federal Ministry of Works standard designs.
“Under HDMI, when they (state governments) finish the roads, they have to toll it. There is a maximum number of years they have to toll it, recoup their money and then the funds will have to start coming into Federation Account and that is why we are very much interested in how much the road is going to cost and to adopt the standard procedure in road construction and design. This is very important.
“An example of this system — HDMI – was the approval of Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta today (Monday) for Ogun State Government to build and toll”.
At the Yewa Cultural Festival over the weekend, Akpabio said that travelling on the road, he experienced first-hand the hardship Nigerians using it were being subjected to, and promised to give the necessary support to Ogun State to ensure the reconstruction of the road.
He said: “The 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is going to get the list of things you want us to do here.
“I saw the road, two trucks fell on the road, so we ended up spending over two hours on the road. I was determined to go through the road that you go through. Now, I have seen what you have been seeing. From today, I prophesy that your roads are done.
“Yewaland has the greatest number of industries that a local government can ever have in Nigeria. Therefore, we recognise the need to use the best set of contractors to do your roads because of the wear and tear. I assure you that we will be working with our brother, Dapo Abiodun. Your lives will not be the same again”.
