President Bola Tinubu in Saturday flagged off the reconstruction and expansion of the Lagos-Ibadan Dual Carriageway Section 1, and Section 1 of the Lagos-Sagamu Expressway.
At a flag-off ceremony at Sagamu, Ogun State, 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 Kilometre 37 at Makun around Sagamu.
He said pedestrian bridges 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.
Tinubu, who was represented by Ogun Gov. Dapo Abiodun, 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.
He, however, 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.
Works Minister 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.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Works, Mr. 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.
Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure 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.
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