Lagos-Ibadan expressway: Residents, motorists await completion date amid tales of woe

• FG gives May 31 deadline for burnt Eko bridge rehabilitation
• NSCDC, FRSC, LASTMA, TRACE synergise for traffic control, safety

Residents and motorists plying Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, could not wait to see the completion of the road, slated for April ending, because of tales of death that have characterised the 24-year-old project.

To meet the deadline, some sections of the expressway along Kara and Old Toll gate have recently been experiencing heavy gridlock due to ongoing rehabilitation.
   
But commuters are worried that despite several suggestions made in the past to lessen their woes, the contractor has not listened. A resident at Ibafo, Mutiu Ayoola, who experienced yesterday’s traffic, said he could not wait to see the end of the reconstruction.
 
He told The Guardian that he joined the lockjam at The Apostolic Church, Lagos and Western/Northern Areas (LAWNA), Ketu, and spent two hours before he got to Berger Bus Stop.
   
Another commuter, Mrs. Emmanuella Uduak, who was returning from a trip to Ibadan, yesterday, wondered how people, who work in Lagos, but reside at the surrounding communities manage to go to their respective workplaces.
   
“If I can complain for just a day, what of those who must pass through this road everyday?” She queried. A motorist, John Uzaru, tasked the Federal Government on creation of  a committee to monitor the activities of Julius Berger daily and ensure that the firm works in line with international best practices.

Lamenting the daily traffic,  a resident of  Olowotedo, near Mowe and the Chief Executive Officer of AbsolutePR Limited, Lagos, Akonte Ekine, said: “This is a punishment to the users of the road. This is due to poor planning and execution. There are daily untold stories affecting users of the road, from health through the economy.

“The so-called announcement on plan to complete the project by April 30, 2023, do not even have any assurance from the government.”

MEANWHILE, Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to constant consultation with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on traffic management of the construction corridor even as the work is ramping up to completion.
 
To improve traffic, particularly around construction zones on Opic, Kara, and Berger axis, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, who was on tour duty of the construction zones, at the weekend, assured the motoring public that he will continue to hold strategic meetings with the Federal Ministry of Works and its project engineers to review the mode of work and proffer solutions that can ease the strain of traffic.
   
Assuring the motoring public that the Federal Government is expediting actions to complete the project at record time as announced by the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, the Commissioner stated that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, (LASTMA), its Ogun State counterpart, Traffic Compliance and Enforcement (TRACE) are working in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to ease the gridlock on the corridor.
 
While expressing sympathy on the plight being experienced by motorists on the corridor, the Transport Commissioner appealed for calm, as the construction works will soon come to an end.

Disclosing updates on the construction works, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Umar Bakare explained that, the three existing lanes, which the contractor usually worked with had to be reduced to two at each of the construction sections, thereby resulting in traffic buildup, he assured that the FRSC, LASTMA, and TRACE are usually on site to control traffic.
 
Bakare explained that the contractor has increased the number of working gangs to four  to increase the pace of work towards meeting up with the deadline of April.
   
With regards to Eko Bridge, the controller said the rehabilitation works of the bridge are ongoing, especially at the fire damaged section of Apongbon. He added that work is being concentrated on the restoration of the structural defect caused by the inferno.

Once this is completed, he revealed that the bridge will be opened to traffic by May 31, 2023, while work will continue on the other sections of the rehabilitated bridge.
 
He sought the cooperation of the motoring public in terms of compliance with traffic rules and regulations, which will further improve movement around the construction zones.

ALSO, Lagos State Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC ), Commandant of Corps Usman Ishaq Alfadarai, has renewed the synergy between the NSCDC and the Federal Road Safety Corps, in a bid to foster safety, security, peace and progress in the State.
 
The robust relationship between the two services in Lagos was well cemented on, during a courtesy visit, by the new Sector Commander, FRSC, Lagos Sector Command, Commander Babatunde Farinloye.