From Segun Ayinde, Abeokuta
Ogun State government has commenced the reconstruction of the failed portion of Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway, to address the current traffic logjam being experienced by motorists.
Governor Dapo Abiodun, who paid an unscheduled visit to the bad portion of the road on Sunday, said as a major road linking Lagos through Ogun State to the South-East and South-South regions, its deplorable condition had caused untold hardship to those who use it on a daily basis.
He added that although the reconstruction of the road was awarded by previous administrations, the contractors executed the project from the Benin end to the outskirts of Ijebu-Ode but could not complete it at the interchange before abandoning it due to lack of funds.
He said: “This is a federal road and it is probably the most important road to Southern Nigeria because it evacuates traffic, carrying goods and people from Lagos to Ogun State and to the South-East and South-South parts of the country; it is a major arterial road.
“The reconstruction of this road was awarded several years ago by previous administrations. However, the reconstruction started from the Benin end of this road.
“Sadly and curiously, from what we have been told, the budget was not sufficient to allow for the completion of this road to Sagamu Interchange. It stopped short of reaching Ijebu-Ode, somewhere around the outskirts of Ijebu-Ode.
“What we are seeing today is what our masses are suffering from. In the last three to four days, this road was totally impassable because, for some reason, there is a drainage that goes underneath this road that is meant to drain water coming from a canal. That drainage is completely blocked and that is the cause of this problem.”
Abiodun stated that officials from the State Ministries of Works and Environment are currently working to create another drainage that would channel water away from the road, while the bad portion has been filled with hardcore to make it motorable.
He disclosed that he has brought the condition of the road to the minister of works who has promised to look into how to award a contract for its rehabilitation or at least provide palliative measures or some sort of intervention to salvage the situation.
The governor also mentioned that he informed President Bola Tinubu about the need for the federal government to address the state of the road.
“Let me confirm to you that last week Thursday, I also brought the issue of this road to the attention of the president. For the avoidance of doubt, let nobody think that Ogun State has not been responsive.”
