Key highlights
- The Federal Government stated that the recent fuel scarcity and cash shortages were unforeseen factors that have stalled the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
- The Federal Controller of Works for Lagos said the contractor works from morning into the night to ensure the timely completion of the project.
- He assured that the inconveniences experienced by motorists will reduce by April.
The Federal Government has explained the factors responsible for the non-completion of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway despite assurances on the completion date.
The government stated that the recent fuel scarcity and cash shortages were unforeseen factors that have stalled the completion of the expressway.
This was made known by the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Umar Bakare while featuring on a Channels Television programme, Sunrise daily on Friday, where revealed that they were on course to complete the road project but the CBN’s monetary policies as well as the fuel scarcity were responsible for the slow pace.
Despite last week’s assurance by the Lagos State Government to partner with the Federal Government to ease the situation, especially around the Kara Bridge/Berger-OPIC axis, motorists have lamented the supposed slow pace at which work is taking place which has led to gridlock.
We didn’t envisage cash crunch, fuel shortage issues
- Mr. Bakare said, “The first phase of the project is for us to deliver from 7Up which is point 00 of the project up until the Shagamu interchange to deliver the main carriageway from 7Up to Shagamu we had earlier promised to deliver at the end of this quarter.
- “We did not envisage the fuel shortage issue that affected the progress of work, the cash crunch issue that affected the progress of work at some point.’’
The Controller also revealed that he was optimistic the inconveniences motorists were experiencing on the highway would reduce come April for the partial completion.
- He said, “This time around we are looking at the end of April give or take amongst other things.’’
Contractor to work late into the night
On his action plans to have the Lagos-Ibadan expressway completed in due time, Mr. Bakare said talks were ongoing to have the contractor work past dusk and these talks had been yielding good results.
- He said, “These days the contractor is working from morning to night in other to be able to achieve complete and deliver these projects in good time.
- “We have been discussing with the contractor about night work, of course, the issue of security is one of the things we are looking at critically,
- “Recently, the contractor has agreed to work late into the night although not overnight. In the past week, they have been working up until 9 pm in some of the locations where we are working now,”
What you should know
- The Lagos State Government had about a week ago assured motorists that its collaboration with the Federal Government will ease the traffic situation on Kara, Berger-OPIC axis along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
- The gridlock is caused by the ongoing reconstruction works by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
- However, the gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway has continued unabated despite earlier assurances by the state government, with the traffic causing untold hardship to commuters and other road users.
- The development, owing to the construction work on that axis which has been on for weeks, forced motorists to spend hours covering short distances outbound and inbound Lagos.
- A violation of traffic rules – better known as one-way – has further compounded the situation.