…We’ll be faster with project delivery — he assures

…Our commitment to promoting local content remains sacrosanct — SA Works

By Moses Adeniyi

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has promised that delivery of projects in his second term in office would be faster in time-schedule, promising bigger and better projects.

Sanwo-Olu who made the promise when he commissioned the reconstructed Oba Sekunmade road, Ipakodo, and strategic sectional rehabilitation of T.O.S Benson road in Ikorodu Local Government Area (LGA), said his second term would make records of iconic projects far better than the record of his first term in office.

Among the projects he mentioned would mark groundbreaking records is the 4th Mainland Bridge which he said would further open up the State for economic development.

On the road projects commissioned, weekend, he said the project is deserving for the people of Ikorodu division of the State, which he acknowledged showed remarkable support during the last election where the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) recorded high votes in the general elections.

Sanwo-Olu described the project as a definition of the dividends of democracy and purposeful government “of ensuring development touches every nook and crannny of the State.”

He said he chose not to hurriedly commission the roads prior to election to demonstrate the projects were not mere for political jingo, but true reflection of good governace and dividends of democracy.

On the demands placed on the Government for other critical infrastructures, Sanwo-Olu promised “we are committed to all the things they have demanded we do.”

He called on the contractors and other key stakeholders to hasten-up work on the road projects currently undergoing construction.

“Our next four years will be bigger, faster and better than the last four years,” he said, mentioning he would keep to the pace of ensuring  ”the development of Lagos knows no bound.”

Sanwo-Olu in his remarks while acknowledging Ikorodu as the light and beacon of support, said the division has become an example for other divisions of the State to follow.

He said the divison is “growing in leaps and bound” to about the 3rd to 5th largest city in Southwest, describing the delivery of the projects as an acknowledgement “to say thank you” to the people of the divison for their support.

Sanwo-Olu sent acknowledgment of the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to the residents, for the votes recorded in the division in the Feb. 25 presidential election.

He called on the residents to remain law abiding to maintain peace for the division to remain a haven for business development.

In her remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Aramide Adeyoye, described the  two- in-one (“2 in 1”) formal commissioning of the Oba Sekumade Road and the T.O.S Benson Road (Ipakodo axis) as evidence of good governance.

According to her, the journey for the Oba Sekumade Road started in the early 80’s when it was conceived by the Federal Government to provide access to the Ikorodu lighter terminal, Ebute Ipakodo, Ikorodu town, Ibeshe, Igbogbo and several other communities within Ikorodu division.

“Over time there had been several interventions to ensure that this road remains serviceable.  The first intervention was in July 2004 through the Federal Government effort wherein Messrs Crown Plant carried out rehabilitation works on the pavement.

“The second major intervention took place in December 2004 when the State Government awarded the contract for the dualization of the road to Messrs Consteng Limited with the Lagos Metropolitan Transport Authority (LAMATA) as the executing agency.

“Consequent upon the conversion of the Ikorodu lighter terminal to a container terminal, the attendant increment in truck volume and axle loads caused a rapid deterioration of the pavement as well as a complete collapse of the drainage system that was occasioned by the low lying nature of the road alignment.

“Arising from several complaints by commuters on the condition of the road coupled with the perennial flooding experienced by the adjoining communities due to the inadequate road drainage system, the present administration decided to take the bull by the horn.

“This was after extensive engineering investigations and tests of the underlying soil by adopting a more expensive but more enduring option of a Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) for the reconstruction and upgrade of the road as against the option of an asphaltic flexible pavement that was not sustainable.  It is worthwhile to mention that the goal of the project was also to resolve the perennial flooding issues  around Ogolonto, Omologede,  Ipakodo  and environs. The contract was awarded to Messrs Arab Contractors O.A.O Nig Ltd in September 2020 while physical construction commenced in January 2021,” she narrated.

On the T.O.S Benson Road, Adeyoye said  the award of the contract to a local contractor  affirmed the Administration’s resolve to allow local Engineers in the Public Works Corporation operate side by side the multinationals, “thereby restoring their confidence and ultimately improve on capacity and competence.”

“It is also pertinent to mention that a high standard of quality control and quality assurance has been maintained in constructing the road and please be assured that the road will no doubt serve its purpose throughout the design life,” she assured.

She applauded the Governor and his Deputy, without which she said delivery of the project would not have been possible.

“The insistence on sustainable infrastructure, adequate drainage system, and good quality lighting facilities you have seen here today (Friday) underscores this Administration’s commitment to very high standards,” she said.

“I believe that with the rehabilitation and upgrade of this road, the challenge of flooding and inadequate capacity will now become a thing of the past.

“This in turn will also translate into improved free flow of traffic and a much needed reduction in travel time for the business owners in the area and the motoring public at large,” she added.

Remarking, member of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), and former Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Olorunfunmi Bashorun, prayed for good health and sound spirit for the Governor to do more in his second term, demanding him to work more to fix other areas requiring intervention in the Ikorodu division.

Chairman, Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Olanrewaju Kazeem, represented by the Vice Chairman, Hon. Adesegun Aluko, said the good people of Ikorodu would continue to support Sanwo-Olu’s good governance as was reflected in the last election which witnessed massive vote for him.

The majority leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly who represents Ikorodu II State Constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. S.O.B Agunbiade said the infrastructure has made the residents happy, saying the election reflected Ikorodu residents are “a people that appreciate good things.”

He applauded Sanwo-Olu and other key members of the State Exective Council, including the Special Adviser and the Deputy Governor who he acknowledged played relevant roles in the construction of the road projects.

He said the projects have brought relief to the residents, increase property and aesthetic value in the area.

The Sekunmade of Ipakodo, Oba Bashir Sotonwa, said Sanwo-Olu made history happened with the historic commissioning of the road named after him

He said the pressure on the road brought troubles to the communities, but Sanwo-Olu’s led administration responded to the cries of the resident for the reconstruction of the road, saying Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy have written their names in the annals of the history of the Ipakodo area.

Similarly, former Deputy Governor in Lagos, Hon. Abiodun Ogunleye acknowledged the infrastructure intervention to create a lasting solution to the bad road menace, demanding for more interventions on strategic roads.