Govt, Lagos, private investors fine-tune plans for 4th Mainland Bridge

THE construction of the Lagos Fourth Mainland Bridge may soon become a reality if the collaboration of the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government to woo private investors, who will drive the venture, yield positive results.

Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Ganiyu Johnson and the Commissioner for Transportation Dayo Mobereola disclosed to The Guardian in exclusive interview that the interest of the Federal Government through its Ministry of Works has been drawn to the project and the parties are currently seeking investors who would speedily finance the plan.

Johnson said: “Discussions are on-going with would-be investors on a BOOT (Built, Own, Operate, Transfer) arrangement to fine-tune the best option in the interests of Lagosians.”

“A city like Lagos needs so many bridges, I have discussed with him (the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola) about the Fourth Mainland Bridge and that was also part of the issue he discussed at the PENCOM commission in Abuja last week. The Federal Government is thinking about the Fourth Mainland Bridge,” Mobereola revealed.

The bridge is expected to cost government up to N10 billion as compensation to house owners at Olokanla, Ajah, whose properties are situated on the way to the bridge head, apart from those along Ikorodu and Ijede, which it was learnt, would gulp over N5 billion, also as compensation.

The bridge is expected to be constructed for about N40 billion per kilometre, would link Ikorodu to Ajah axis of the state.

In a related development, the state government said that the first phase of the Lagos rail project, connecting part of the mainland to the Island would be commissioned later in the year, as the project is currently about 50 per cent completed.

“We have achieved about 50 per cent completion of the Lagos blue rail line project. We have started constructing over the Lagoon to CMS, the part that would be left is from Mile 2 to Okokomaiko and that is being held back because of the road expansion that is currently going on there, without the road expansion we cannot build the rail,” Mobereola stated.

Stating reasons for the delay in building the 4th mainland bridge, the State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode earlier told local media that the design of the bridge, the feasibility study of the project as well as other technicalities were on ground, but previous administration of the Federal Government frustrated it.

“Former President Goodluck Jonathan has refused to append his signature to the project and you cannot actually carry out such a gigantic project without the approval of the Federal Government. I however, want to assure Lagosians that we would continue the push and hopefully if our party wins the presidential election, Abuja will be more disposed to it,” Ambode had told Naij.com while vying as a Governor.