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AS the contractor handling section 1 of Lagos-Ibadan Road’s construction, Messrs Julius Berger Plc., returns to work this week, Nigerians, comprising motorists and residents living along the axis are begging the Federal Government to to ensure speedy completion of the project as promised.
Besides, they want the government to mount pressure on the contractor for effective traffic control/management pending the completion of the major highway linking Lagos to other parts of Nigeria.
Appeal by the residents and motorists, according to Mr Micheal Olatunde, a medical practitioner, was due to the excruciating pains they were subjected to when journeyed through the construction zones last year.
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, Olatunde said that many people suffered both physically and emotionally in the traffic jam due to poor traffic management by construction workers, official of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) and other agencies saddled with the responsibility.
According to him, many people including himself spent nothing less than four hours daily in traffic from Ibafo to Berger Bus-stop in Lagos.
Besides, he noticed that it has taken the contractor almost six months to fix the road from Fatgems Bus-stop to Kara Bridge, inward Lagos.
“Now that they are preparing to move to the other side of the expressway, it is expected that they will increase the speed of work and ensure effective traffic control to be able to deliver the road in three months to lessen our pains,” he said.
Another resident, Mrs Joy Omehza, noted that no fewer than eight people died of Okada accidents, while trying to beat traffic jam on the expressway between August and December, last year.
Aside, she said that people’s health suffered deterioration due to long hours they spent in gridlock because of the road’s construction.
She is appealing to the federal government and the contractor handling section 1 of the expressway (Ojota,Lagos to Shagamu Interchange) to expedite action on the construct work.
Another resident in Magboro, Mr Oluwole Ojo, who claimed to have secured alternative accommodation near his workplace in Ebute-meta, Lagos begged the government to prevail on the contractor to complete the project before President Mohammadu Buhari leaves office in May, 2023.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has disclosed that the project will be delivered by the end of March 2023.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government, last Friday, ordered temporary suspension of construction works on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, to make traveling experience easier for holiday makers returning to their destinations after the festive season.
Recall that Julius Berger returned to site on Tuesday after leaving in December 2022, to continue construction works between the popular Long Bridge and Kara bus stop on the Lagos-bound carriageway.
The contractors’ return to site and the resultant gridlock in the axis saw commuters groaning on the highway on last Thursday.
This led the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mr Umar Bakare, to suspend work and supervise the removal of crash barriers on the highway on the Kara Section on Friday.
Bakare told reporters after re-opening Section 1 of the highway to traffic that the measure was to give opportunity for those returning from end of year holiday to have better motoring experience.
He said that the contractors were able to carry out quick repairs till early hours of Friday before removing the crash barriers in anticipation of huge return journey of holiday makers over the weekend.
The controller said that the contractors would return to site on Monday, Jan. 9, to continue work, and complete work between Kara and Long Bridge within 20 days.
He said temporary repairs were done on some sections in December, and the contractors were able to further upgrade work on their short return in January.
The controller said the government would make announcements, carry the public along, and always sensitise the public on the progress of work
He appealed for patience of road users and lane discipline around construction zones, noting that government was always concerned about their welfare and need for them to have good motoring experiences.
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