A newly constructed section of Lagos-Badagry highway was on Friday, declared open for public use by Lagos State governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, thereby fulfilling the promise made at inception of his administration.
The construction of the 4-kilometre section, which stretches from Agboju to Trade Fair, started shortly after the current administration took off.
It would be recalled that Sanwo-Olu visited the site on June 4, 2019 to assess the level of work on the abandoned project and promised to mobilise the contractor handling the project back on site, while also pledging to complete the stretch before end of December, last year.
In fulfilling the promise, Sanwo-Olu led members of the State Executive Council to Lagos-Badagry expressway to open the completed section, while also declaring the commencement of construction work on the Phase II of the project, which will take off from Trade Fair to the main gate of the Lagos State University (LASU) in Iba town.
The construction of the Phase II of the expressway is expected to be completed next October, after which the final phase will take off.
Sanwo-Olu said: “We gave our commitment when we came to inspect the level of work on this section of Lagos-Badagry Expressway in the first week of June, last year. We promised we would complete the construction of first phase of the expressway by December. We have kept our word, as we have just delivered the Phase 1 of this important highway exactly six months.
“We still have about 4.7 kilometres section to be constructed from Trade Fair to LASU gate, which makes up the Phase II of the project. The contractor has already been mobilised and we will be delivering this in the next nine months. The last phase of work is about 2 kilometres which will take the construction work to Okokomaiko.”
The outstanding work on the completed section, the Governor revealed, includes the designing of the pedestrian walkways and fixing of streetlights. The completed stretch cuts across strategic locations, including Maza-Maza, Alakija, Agboju and stopped at Trade Fair.
Sanwo-Olu advised road users and residents of the area against activities that might damage the completed section, urging them to take ownership of the road.
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Also, the governor visited Agege to assess the on-going construction of Agege-Pen Cinema flyover, securing the contractor’s commitment to deliver the project next July.
The flyover which is said to be at 60 percent completion stage, took off from Oba Ogunji Road and drops at Oke Koto axis of Agege. The third abutment of the bridge extends to old Abeokuta Highway into Abule Egba.
The total length of the bridge is 1.4 kilometres and it is expected to have streetlight facilities and pedestrian walkways.
The Agege-Pen Cinema flyover, Sanwo-Olu disclosed, will be complemented with comprehensive rehabilitation work on inner roads to enhance traffic flow.
The governor said: “At the completion of this bridge, we are not only going to see improvement in traffic management in the area, it would also shoot up value of real estate in Agege and neighbouring communities. Quality of life will also improve, because the bridge construction forms part of Items 9 and 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which seek to deliver smart community.
“Road, rail and bridge are been developed in Agege to solve traffic congestion, transportation challenges and movement of people from one part of the State to another. At the completion of this bridge, businesses in this area will flourish. We will push the contractor in this dry season to complete this bridge by early July.”
The governor also met with owners of houses trapped in the right-of-way of the bridge, promising them that his administration would fulfil the compensation payment.
He said: “By the Grace of God, all those whose properties were demolished for the construction of the bridge will be fully compensated before the construction completes in June. Tell those who are not here to be patient; we have received all your grievances and we will ensure you all get full compensation.”
