Ogun commences palliative work on failed section of Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway

Concerned about its deplorable condition and the hardship its users endure daily, the Ogun State government has commenced the reconstruction of the failed portion of the Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway near Sagamu.

The reconstruction aims to address the current traffic congestion caused by flooding on the road. Governor Dapo Abiodun issued the directive during an unscheduled visit to the damaged section of the road.

He stated that, as a major road linking Lagos through Ogun State to the South-East and South-South regions of the country, its poor condition has caused immense hardship to its users daily.

He said that although the reconstruction was awarded by previous administrations, the contractors executed the project from the Benin end to the outskirts of Ijebu-Ode but couldn’t complete it at the interchange due to a lack of funds.

He explained: “This is a federal road, and it is probably the most important road to Southern Nigeria because it carries traffic, both goods, and people, from Lagos to Ogun State and to the South-East and South-South parts of the country; it is a major arterial road.

“The reconstruction of this road was awarded several years ago by previous administrations. However, sadly, that reconstruction was started from the Benin end of this road.

“Sadly and curiously, from what we have been told, the budget was not sufficient to allow for the completion of this road to the Sagamu Interchange. It stopped short of reaching Ijebu-Ode, somewhere around the outskirts of Ijebu-Ode.

“What we are seeing today is what our people are suffering from. In the last three to four days, this road was totally impassable because, for some reason, there is drainage that goes underneath this road that is meant to drain water coming from a canal. That drainage is completely blocked, and that is the cause of this problem.”

Abiodun stated that officials from the State Ministries of Works and Environment are currently working to create another drainage channel to divert water away from the road, while the damaged portion has been fixed to make the road passable.

He disclosed that he has brought the road’s condition to the attention of the Minister of Works, David Umahi, who promised to look into awarding a contract for its rehabilitation or at least providing palliative measures or some sort of intervention to address the situation.

The governor also stated that he informed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu about the need for the federal government to address the state of the road.

“Let me confirm to you that last Thursday, I also brought the issue of this road to the attention of Mr President. For the avoidance of doubt, let nobody think that Ogun State has not been responsive.

“Knowing fully well that the federal government has many critical roads to deal with, and as a responsive state government, we deployed our Ministries of Works and Environment to this site. What they have done is identify the immediate cause; they found out there is a construction that has blocked the drain.

“I have requested from Mr President that the Ministry of Works can immediately award this road to a reputable contractor, and I know they are working on it.

“However, Mr President has also instructed me that if we do not get the attention as quickly as we want, the Ogun State government should go ahead and take ownership of this section and repair it,” he added.

Governor Abiodun promised that if within the next two days there is no clear evidence from the federal government to commence serious reconstruction work, his administration would step in to take ownership of the section of the road and carry out a complete reconstruction.