Respite would soon come the way of commuters along the ever-busy Lagos-Abeokuta highway.
This is because the construction project along the stretch between Abule Egba and Oshodi has gone way above 60 percent completion.
When New Dawn moved round the road project on Wednesday, commuters were happy that at last the man hour being wasted daily to traffic congestion on the stretch of the road would be saved once the project is delivered.
A commercial bus driver who simply identified himself as Kolapo said the road project has lingered for too long.
“When the road work started we thought it would be fast but you can see how long it has taken them to complete it,” he said, remembering that, “There was a time around Cement bus stop earlier in the year that they would build and still break what they have built only to start casting it again the next day. That is why we are seeing this delay, we have suffered a lot on this road.”
Another commuter who works on the Lagos Island told New Dawn that the road would be a great relief after completion.
“The road is one important road in the Lagos metropolis. Since it connects so many communities, it would serve millions of people daily and ease traffic in this part of Lagos,” she said.
The Federal Government earlier this year had approved N56.7bn for the construction of Abeokuta-Lagos expressway.
Minister of Works and former Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola had explained earlier in the year that the 81km road was first awarded in the year 2000 but was not completed whereby deteriorating and causing so much stress for commuters and hindering free movement of goods and services.
It was a piece of good news when the Federal Executive Council in April 2018 approved the revised contract for the construction of the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta stretch, costing about N56.701bn.
According to Fashola, the revised rate was brought to the Executive Council and a revision of N22bn was approved for the 81 kilometre road, making the figure total N56.701bn.
Hope is high that at completion, the highway would add immensely to the Nigerian economy due to the east of moving goods and services across the stretch.
More so, this highway also connects the Murtala Mohammed International airport and the Oshodi-Apapa expressway which leads to the port, making it one of Nigeria’s most important roads.
Another commercial driver, who identified himself as Gafar Alabi said the stress was much between the beginning of the year and August though he agreed that it is becoming easier.
“Between January or last year and August, it was war on this road because of the construction,” he said.
He stated further that, “From September to this November we have seen the work is now fast. I think since the rain is stopping gradually, the workers are able to move equipment back to the site.”
On the commercial activities on the Ota-Lagos end of the project, Alabi said, “We are not able to go as many trips as possible like we used to do but as the work is becoming faster now we are happy because we drivers are able to run Sango-Oshodi more frequently. Workers are able get to their various work places faster than before and returning in the evening is not as hectic like before. Though there are still problems here and there but what I am telling you is that it is not as terrible like we used to have it before.”
Meanwhile, commuters who have nursed anxiety after the primary election in Lagos State which the incumbent Governor Akinwumi Ambode lost to Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu may have nothing to worry about after all.
Many had felt the several road projects around Lagos State would stop after the incumbent Governor lost the primary election but they have been proved wrong.
Tunde Ajakaiye is a taxi driver who had earlier expressed worry but now seeing differently.
“I was among those thinking the road would be abandoned but I can now see differently that it is not possible for the Abeokuta-Ota-Lagos expressway construction to be abandoned because Ambode lost the primary election,” he said.
He added that, “Firstly, it is not even a project belonging to Lagos State alone.
“It is a project also involving the Federal Government and it is well funded. That is why work must continue and delivered at the right date,” he explained.
Behavior of motorists along the highway was blamed as part of the factors delaying the construction earlier in the year.
The News Agency of Nigeria in July had reported that construction giant, Julius Berger had warned motorists against driving against the traffic as the indiscipline was distracting the workers.
Infrastructure Supervisor of the company, Endre Fuhrmann in July in an interview around Sango-Ota had complained that his workers were being distracted for fear of being knocked down by running vehicles.
“This development has distracted us from concentrating fully on the ob. We need to be safety conscious as life is precious to us because an articulated vehicle can knock down any of us,” he said.
He also stated that reckless behavior of motorists often cause gridlock which is not healthy for the construction.
Meanwhile, as the construction is coming close to completion, motorists are largely happy and already getting relieved that the days of pain are getting over.
