By Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu
The Senate has asked the Federal Ministry of Works and the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to urgently put in motion machinery to rehabilitate the Lagos-Ota- Abeokuta expressway pending its total reconstruction to reduce the hardship and suffering of the people.
The Upper Chamber at plenary on Wednesday also mandated the Committees on Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA to request for a status report from FERMA and the Federal Ministry of Works in terms of budgetary allocations for repairs and maintenance, and the extent of work done over the years with allocated funds.
It further mandated the Federal Ministry of Works to include further funding for the reconstruction of Lagos-Ota- Abeokuta Express Road in the next Appropriation Bill.
The resolutions were sequel to the adoption of a motion on the urgent need for palliative repairs and total reconstruction of the roads sponsored by Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Adeola Olamilekan and 10 other Senators.
Moving the motion, Olamilekan noted that over the years the state of disrepair of major roads in Nigeria has been a cause for concern for all patriotic Nigerians desirous of alleviating the suffering of majority of the people.
He lamented that vast stretches of the once motorable and busy Lagos –Ota-Abeokuta Express Road from Surulere through Mushin, Oshodi, Agege Motor Road, Alagbado onward in Lagos State to Ota, Ifo, Papalanto, Ewekoro, Itori, Wasimi, Obada- Oko and Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital has totally collapsed without any sign or signal for palliatives repairs, rehabilitation or reconstruction from agencies charged with road maintenance, repairs and reconstruction.
The ranking Senator expressed concern that the expressway that is supposed to be a major alternative to the usually congested Lagos- Ibadan Expressway is in such a state of total neglect and disrepair.
He added that if no immediate remedial measure is put in place now pending total reconstruction the industries along the axis would be completely cut off from accessing raw materials from the Lagos seaports and transporting finished goods to and from Lagos and elsewhere.
