…Laments bureaucratic bottlenecks, alleges co-ordinated media attacks
By Omobolaji Adekunle, Abeokuta
Following widespread complaint on the deplorable state of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has given reasons why the State Government decided to prioritise the road and forge ahead with the reconstruction of the road without obtaining the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
The Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway is a major highway that is home to many industries and manufacturing groups and is reputed as one of the busiest highways in the country.
The road has however suffered neglect over the years by the Federal Government with little or no palliative works done on the road making it eye sore for commuters living in the area and plying the route.
Speaking in an interview after inspecting the 20-kilometre Agbara -Lusada-Atan road in the Ado Odo/Ota Local Government Area on Wednesday, Governor Abiodun emphasised the importance of the roads not only to the economic wellbeing of the State, but that of the nation.
While recalling the efforts by Ogun and Lagos state governments to take over and reconstruct the Lagos-Sango Abeokuta Expressway, Abiodun said he and his Lagos State counterpart were frustrated by delays from the Federal Government, right from the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to the Governor, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in power, the federal government was approached once again for the transfer of the road to the state, a request that was eventually granted.
He, however, said the state still faces stiff opposition from some federal officials on the transfer, which forced the state government to formally award the contract in May, with or without the necessary transfer papers.
He said: “The Lagos-Sango-Abeokuta road is a federal government road and has been in a very bad shape for long. Because of the suffering our people pass through on the road, I and my counterpart in Lagos jointly wrote a letter, using a single letterhead to the Federal Executive Council, seeking for the transfer of that road for us to reconstruct.
“After waiting for a month without reply, we wrote a reminder. That road was not handed over to us until the present federal government came on board. The contract for the road has since been awarded since May this year.”
Earlier the Ogun state government had clarified in February this year that work is yet to begin on the reconstruction of the Abeokuta-Ota-Lagos Expressway because the Ogun State Government is still waiting for final approval of the concessioning of the road from the Federal Government.
Recall that the Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced in October last year, during a briefing after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Aso Villa, that the Federal Government had finally concessioned the all important road to the Ogun State Government to reconstruct after several efforts made to that effect by the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration.
The reconstruction was to be carried out under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Federal Ministry of Finance to be involved in the process.
Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Media, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, had explained that although there is a presidential approval for the concessioning, there is no EXTRACT from the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approving the concessioning.
According to Akinmade, the procedure for the concessioning is not complete without FEC’s EXTRACT paper.
He noted that after deliberation and approval, the FEC will issue an extract from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), transferring the road to the Ogun State Government.
On the deplorable condition of the Atan-Lusada-Agbara road, Governor Abiodun disclosed that before his assumption of office, he met with industrialists in the area and promised to put the road in good shape.
He noted that the road was in a terrible condition, leading to trailers and other articulated vehicles falling on their sides, stating that his administration decided not to wait for the federal government before commencing its reconstruction.
The road, with a width of 10 metres, Abiodun added, is being built to standard, saying on completion, it would revive businesses and the socio-economic development of the area.
He said he was on the road to see the level of work done so far, assuring that it would be dualised from the Lagos-Badagry road end to the Agbara Estate gate, while a single lane would be constructed to Atan to aid movement.
“I am here today to have an on-the-spot assessment of how the contractor is doing. I have given them certain timelines, and I want to ensure that they are working in tandem to ensure they meet those timelines.”
“I have said to them that they must ensure that from the Lagos-Badagry end, the dual carriageway is completed to the entrance of the industrial estate, the OPIC entrance so that trucks and trailers that are coming from the port can enjoy the dual carriageway easily going in and out effortlessly so we can increase productivity and enhance their operations.
“We will now focus on one lane beyond the OPIC entrance all the way to Atan first. Let’s finish that so our people can enjoy the driving pleasure all the way from Lagos-Badagry to Atan on one side.
“One side is 4.75 wide. It will take at least four vehicles. Let’s finish that because this road has cost us so much.
“You can imagine a few months ago, you award a contract. Before the ink dries up on that contract, the cost of asphalt has increased three times in one day. So I said, let’s finish this because we are committed to it. We are a promise keeping administration. We only make promises that we can keep,” he said.
On the recent attack on his person on social media, Abiodun said he would not be distracted by propaganda but remain focused on serving the people who entrusted their mandates to him.
Prince Abiodun described the attack as unwarranted, noting that the attacks were being sponsored.
He said: “My attention was drawn to various sponsored media attacks on my person and my administration. These media attacks are focusing on roads by attempting to disparage me and accuse me of either neglect or not being responsive or being uncaring.
“When I see these media attacks, at times, my first reaction is to ignore them because I know who I am. I know why I am here. I know what it has taken me to get to where I am. I know what I was before I became Governor. The only reason I am here as Governor is to serve the good people of Ogun State and that I am irrevocably committed to.
“When I now see such a barrage of sponsored media attacks, the first question I ask myself is, where were these people before I became Governor? We know how many roads were in a state of disrepair across the country. We know how many federal roads are in a state of disrepair. I just came on another federal road, Lagos-Badagry road, that has been in a state of disrepair.
“When Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was under construction, we were all suffering. At times, we will be on the road for 10 hours. Not once did anybody go there and begin to attack anybody.
While seeking the cooperation and understanding of residents, the governor, however, threatened legal action against those critics misrepresenting his administration, just as he promised not to be ferreted by the antics of his detractors.