Fashola Orders Immediate Evacuation of Trucks on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Fashola Orders Immediate Evacuation of Trucks on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Fadekemi Ajakaiye

Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola has ordered the immediate evacuation of trailers on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

He stated this recently at a Town Hall Meeting at Ogere, Ogun State, after his inspection of the rehabilitation, reconstruction and expansion of the Lagos-Ibadan Dual carriageway.

He stated that trucks parked along Lagos-Ibadan expressway henceforth may be impounded while the drivers/owners would be sanctioned.

He complained about the abuse of these roads by truck drivers who park indiscriminately and also spill petroleum products and other substances on the road, thereby causing road damages.

He pleaded with all stakeholders and commuters for their cooperation and sacrifice, which is essential for the success of the project.

He stated that the federal government through its financiers; Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund. PIDT, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA, is committed to the smooth delivery of the project in good time.

“The roads on this entire project from Lagos to Ilela are strategic connections for the entire country, and so our, patience and cooperation is highly needed for it success,” he said

He enjoined the construction companies employed; Julius Berger and RCC to improve the quality of signage for the safety of commuters. “Providing these signage is a way of showing compassion and ensuring ease of movement to the commuters”, he said.

The host of the Town Hall Meeting, the Governor of Ogun State, Mr. Dapo Abiodun requested that some road projects be handed to the State government to speed up the development process.

He appealed to the contractors on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway project to adopt best practices on traffic management to minimize hardship, and also called for more sensitization of the public to help them understand the project better.

The Director Highways, (Construction and Rehabilitation) Federal Ministry of works and Housing, Engr. Olufunso Adebiyi, stated that Lagos-Ibadan Dual Carriageway which was originally completed in 1973 but due to age, excessive axle load and poor maintenance over the years, led to the road deteriorating with some sections characterised with pavement failures, multiple potholes, and eroded shoulders at various locations, which makes the use of the road traumatic.

“The challenges we are encountering on the project includes but not limited to encroachment of the Right of Way (ROW) of the road, insecurity around the project corridor, indiscriminate parking of trucks and articulated vehicles and high traffic volume, indiscipline of road users, disregard for signages especially around construction and diversion zones, oil spillage on new pavements, etc,” he said.

He stated that more still needed to be done to conclusively resolve the hydra headed issue which has continuously affected the progress of the project. With the cooperation of all, the challenges will be overcome and the project delivered as scheduled, he said.

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