Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has solicited the support of Lafarge and other multinational companies operating along the Abeokuta-Ota-Lagos Expressway for reconstruction of the road.

The governor said reconstructing the road will have multiplier effects on the socio-economic development of the state, while companies who have their base of operations along the route stand to benefit more. He spoke when the management team of Lafarge Africa Plc paid a courtesy visit to his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The governor regretted the deplorable state of the road, even as he recalled the various palliative interventions by the Ogun State government to lessen the pains of motorists.

He said: “Ogun State has secured the permission of the Federal Government to reconstruct the road, which cost was initially put at about N70 billion, but it would now be in the region of N150 billion or more due to high cost of asphalt, diesel and cement as a result of inflation.

“It is important we sit down and identify what portion of the expanse of that road Lafarge and the likes are going to contribute because the truth is that you are one of the biggest contributors to the condition of that road.”

“Your trucks are causing damage to the road. They are carrying cement and raw materials, and most of those trucks are even above the capacity of the road’s design.

Abiodun also called on the firm to employ global best practices in disposing industrial waste in its areas of operation. Acknowledging the company’s longstanding commitment to the local economy, he emphasised the crucial role of collaboration with the private sector in addressing the challenges of sustainable economic growth and job creation.

Responding, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lafarge, Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, highlighted the company’s 64-year history of contributing to the economic growth of the Ewekoro axis.

According to him, the company’s commitment to sustainable development is nested in four pillars: circular economy, climate, energy, and people. He added that Lafarge Africa Plc has played a pivotal role in the state’s economic development, exemplifying a commitment to sustainable growth and community empowerment.