The Lagos State Government has declared a state of emergency on 116 roads in the State.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu ordered the commencement of construction work on worst affected roads on Sunday.
Work is to commence on Monday on the identified roads considered critical in an effort to reduce traffic congestions and to ease movement in line with the mega city plan for the State.
Eight engineering firms who have held meetings with the Governor had been given the task to fix the roads by ensuring they immediately mobilise their equipment to the sites and commence major construction works.
Although there is no categorical statement on diversion plans the team Hope’s to make that available to the public shortly. Work will begin on both Island and mainland simultaneously.
In Governor Sanwo-Olu’s words, “The contractors have been given the mandate to start mobilising their equipment to their respective sites without further delay. Their activities must first give our people an immediate relief on the affected roads so that there can be free flow of traffic even during the rehabilitation work.”
To complement the major construction work on the highway, Sanwo-Olu said Lagos Public Works Corporation (LPWC) would be carrying out repairs of 116 inner roads across the State, in addition to over 200 roads already rehabilitated by the corporation in the last three months.
The Governor said he was not unaware of the pain experienced by road users in the past few days, which was compound by persistent downpour. He appealed to residents to bear with the Government while efforts were being made to assuage their pains and bring permanent relief to them.
He said: “We expect the rains will begin to subside in this month of October and this is why we are mobilising our contractors to immediately start the major construction work on the identified highways and bring permanent relief to residents. I am giving all Lagosians the assurance that the contractors will start the construction in earnest and will deliver on the terms of agreements reached with them.”
Sanwo-Olu said officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) will be working round the clock to control traffic on the areas where the construction would take place.
Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, listed some of the critical highways and roads to be constructed to include Ojota stretch of the Ikorodu Road, Motorways-Kudurat Abiola Way, Apogbon Highway, Babs Animashaun Road, Agric/Ishawo Road and Ijede Road in Ikorodu, and Lekki-Epe Expressway from Abraham Adesanya to Eleko Junction.
She added that the there would be massive re-construction work on a network of roads in Ikoyi, Ikeja GRA and Victoria Island.
The contractor deployed by the Government included Julius Berger, Hitech, Arab Contractors, Metropolitan Construction, Slavabogu Construction, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Rajaf Foundation Construction, and RCF Nigeria Limited.
(C) Control TV 2019.
