Monday, February 24, 2025 - President Bola Tinubu has flagged off the reconstruction and expansion of the Lagos-Ibadan Dual Carriageway, section 1, and section 1 of the Lagos-Sagamu Expressway.
Performing the flag-off at Sagamu, Ogun State, President Tinubu said the
project, which would be completed in 24 months, would cover underpasses at
Kara, Wawa, Magboro, and Arepo, while flyover bridges would be constructed at
Kilometer 16 around the Mountain of Fire Ministries (MFM) and Kilometer 37 at
Makun around Sagamu.
Pedestrian bridges, the president informed, would be constructed at
Arepo, Magboro, NASFAT, Deeper Life, and Redemption Camp, while the
construction of the 60 kilometers remaining portion of the Sagamu-Benin
Expressway from Sagamu Interchange to Itele would be flagged off to ensure the
safety of road users.
Represented by the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the
president acknowledged the strategic importance of the road as the busiest,
providing a direct link between Lagos, the commercial capital of the nation,
and the 17 southern states of the federation.
He said: “The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is not just another road; it is
the busiest highway in Nigeria and the gateway to the hinterland, serving as
the primary link between Lagos, the nation’s commercial capital, and the rest
of the country.
“The federal government is committed to leveraging our natural resources
by linking rural roads to urban centers, commercial hubs, and industrial
corridors. The strategic roles align with the federal government’s Renewed Hope
Agenda and commitment to rebuilding, expanding, and modernizing our national
road networks, railways, and airports, which is critical to the nation’s
economic prosperity.”
President Tinubu emphasized the importance of road infrastructure as
fundamental to the socio-economics of any nation; it sustains economic growth,
facilitates mobility, and enhances quality of life.
However, he regretted the long neglect of the road, which has claimed
many lives as a result of its poor condition.
He said that by upgrading and expanding the expressway, the federal government is achieving a reduction in travel time, improving efficiency and productivity, enhancing safety, and facilitating ease of doing business in the country.
The president maintained that the inclusion of the Sagamu-Ore in this
phase further underscored the Renewed Hope Agenda’s vision of ensuring that
national road networks meet international standards and support aspirations for
economic expansion and industrial development.
Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, said: “In the Lagos-Ibadan
project, we have section 2, phase 2, and part of what we are doing today is
that phase 2, which was awarded to Julius Berger. When we could not resolve our
differences in terms of price, we terminated the job.
“What we are doing today is part of the Lagos-Ibadan project, which is
phase 2, and it includes the works on Magboro underpass, Warewa underpass,
Arepo underpass, Sagamu, and Iperu; that is 12 kilometers by 2, which is 24.
“The next phase of this job is also 48 kilometers by 2, that takes off
from Iperu and gets to Ijebu-Ode. That is the Sagamu-Ore road.”
The Minister directed that no payment should be made to contractors
without an Advanced Payment Guarantee (APG) certificate, adding that it must be
valid at the time of payment to the contractor, and the Performance Bond must
also be valid before any payment is made to the contractor.
Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi, said the
House is poised to work with the Ministry to ensure that Nigerians have access
to good road networks, stating that the road is not just for the people of Ogun
State alone as it would affect the economic lives of Nigerians.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade
Akinsanya, expressed gratitude to the federal government for including
footbridges in the project, assuring that the State would work with the
contractor and federal government officials to ensure the speedy completion of
the job.
The Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, while calling for the
construction of two flyovers at the Sagamu junction and at the police
divisional junction, also called for the construction of a fire station to
respond to fire incidents on the road.
Governor Abiodun later performed the flagging-off of the project on
behalf of President Bola Tinubu.
0 Comments