Yesterday, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, failed to fulfill his earlier promise to complete the final section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway by April 30, leading to disappointment amongst motorists, commuters, and leggers.
The section from the old toll booth through Kara Bridge to Long Bridge was a nightmare for drivers due to heavy traffic.
A commuter eagerly awaited the completion of the road due to the death story that marked the project 24 years ago. However, the completed and opened section of the OPIC is only between the Kara and Long Bridge.
Meanwhile, the federal government blamed heavy rains and congestion for delaying the completion of the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan highway until the end of April.
Ademola Kuti, the South-West Director of Federal High Ways at the Ministry of Works and Housing, made the announcement on Channels Television’s 10 pm News on Sunday.
After failing to meet the December 2022 deadline for the road project completion, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, re-set a new completion date for 30th April 2023.
Speaking, he said, “The earlier completion date of 30th of April, we were unable to meet that target because of some factors, majorly the heavy rain which we experienced since March and April and of course the unexpected heavy traffic.”
However, Kuti assured motorists using the route that the Federal Government was determined to complete the project. He said he couldn’t predict the weather so he couldn’t give an exact completion date. He stated;
“So, as we move into the next month (May), we expect that the rain will still be heavy and it will be a bit difficult, but what we want to assure motorists is that we are determined to complete this project and are fully on the ground.
“We opened access in the OPIC axis, that is, from the Kara Bridge to the Long Bridge, and what is left is just about a kilometre as you enter Lagos and then maybe another two kilometres as you are leaving Lagos and we are fully determined with enough men on the ground to achieve this,”
cc: Guardian Ng / Punch Ng
