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Ikenna Ngere
Guest
The Ogun State Government has begun repairs on the deteriorating section of the Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway near Sagamu, addressing the traffic congestion that has plagued the road.
Naija News reports that Governor Dapo Abiodun, accompanied by members of the state executive council, made an unannounced visit to inspect the damaged portion.
He emphasized the road’s significance, as it connects Lagos through Ogun State to the South-East and South-South regions, and noted the severe inconvenience it has caused daily commuters.
Governor Abiodun explained that while previous administrations had awarded contracts for the road’s reconstruction, the work only progressed from the Benin side towards Ijebu-Ode and was never completed due to insufficient funds.
The project stopped at the outskirts of Ijebu-Ode, leaving the Sagamu Interchange in poor condition.
“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, sadly, that reconstruction was 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 the 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 said.
The governor identified a blocked drainage system under the road as the root cause of the traffic problems, which have rendered the road impassable for days.
In response, officials from the State Ministries of Works and Environment are currently working on an alternative drainage system to divert water from the road. Hardcore materials have been used to temporarily fill the damaged section, making it passable again.
Abiodun also mentioned that he had informed the Minister of Works about the issue, who assured him that plans are underway to either award a new contract or implement palliative measures.
Additionally, Governor Abiodun has brought the matter to the attention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stressing the urgent need for federal intervention.
“Let me confirm to you that last week Thursday, I also brought the issue of this road to the attention of Mr. President. For the avoidance of doubt, let nobody think that Ogun State has not been responsive.
“Knowing fully well that the Federal Government has many critical roads to deal with, and as a responsive state government, we deployed our Ministries of Works and Environment to this site. What they have done is identify the immediate cause; they found out there is a construction that has blocked the drain.
“I have requested from Mr. President that the Ministry of Works can immediately award this road to a reputable contractor, and I know they are working on it.
“However, Mr. President has also instructed me that if we do not get the attention as quickly as we want, the Ogun State government should go ahead and take ownership of this section and repair it,” Governor Abiodun added
The governor reassured motorists that the state is committed to resolving the issue promptly if no federal response is forthcoming.
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