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Tag: Lagos-Badagry expressway

  • JUST IN: One dead, another injured in lone car crash on Lagos-Badagry expressway

    JUST IN: One dead, another injured in lone car crash on Lagos-Badagry expressway

    A lone car accident on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway near Buhari Estate, Age-Mowo, has claimed the life of one man and left another critically injured.

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Badagry Command, confirmed the incident on Monday, attributing the crash to excessive speeding.

    According to the Unit Commander, Mr. Williams Manga, the accident occurred around 8:30 p.m., with the command receiving a distress call at 8:40 p.m. and responding within 10 minutes.

    “On arrival, we found that it was a lone accident involving a Lexus car with no registration number. The driver lost control of the vehicle due to speeding, resulting in his death, while the other occupant sustained multiple fractures and internal injuries,” Manga stated.

    However, efforts to transport the deceased to the hospital were disrupted by the victim’s family members and local youths, who blocked the expressway and insisted that the body should not be taken to the mortuary.

    Read Also: Two die in Lagos-Badagry Expressway auto crash

    “They acted violently and prevented the rescue team from performing its duties, forcing our officers to withdraw to avoid further escalation,” Manga added.

    He urged the public to cooperate with FRSC officials during emergencies, emphasizing that such interference hampers effective response efforts and endangers road safety.

    The injured passenger was taken to a nearby hospital for medical attention, while the wrecked vehicle was eventually cleared from the scene.

  • Two die in Lagos-Badagry Expressway auto crash

    Two die in Lagos-Badagry Expressway auto crash

    Two people died on the spot on Monday, while four others sustained varying degrees of injury in an auto-crash on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

    Mr Williams Manga, Unit Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Badagry, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the accident occurred at about 5.46 a.m., at Ibereko section of the expressway.

    “Our personnel were alerted about the accident around 6.12 a.m., and we got to the scene exactly 6.20 a.m.

    “The Toyota Camry with dealer registration number 01-6897DLA with seven persons –four male and three female, was coming from a popular hotel when the accident occurred.

    “The vehicle somersaulted many times on the old Badagry expressway, to the other side, leaving two dead, while four sustained varying degrees of injury.

    “One of them was not affected by the accident at all,” he said.

    He said that the likely cause of the accident was excessive speeding.

    Manga said that the four injured persons were taken to General Hospital in Badagry for treatment, while the corpse of the two others were deposited at the mortuary of the hospital.

    The unit commander said that sensitisation programmes were organised for motorists plying Agbara-Badagry expressway on the need to reduce their speed on the highway.

    “This is not the first time, this will happen, the command has continuously warmed motorists on menace of excessive speeding, but some will not listen.

    “Avoid excessive speeding, adhere to speed limits and conduct routine vehicle checks for prompt detection and replacement of faulty motor parts before leaving your houses. This is an important way of minimising accidents on our roads,” he said.

    Read Also: Lawmaker assures Lagosians of Lagos-Badagry expressway completion

    Dr Olatunde Bakare, the Medical Director, General Hospital, Badagry, said that victims of the accident were brought in around 7.30 a.m.

    “The injured persons are presently receiving treatment at the emergency unit of hospital, while two dead bodies are in the mortuary,” he said.

    He urged motorists plying Lagos-Badagry expressway to reduce their speed on the road.

    “Accident victims are being brought to the hospital daily,” he said.

    (NAN)

  • Early morning fire razes 13 shops in Agbara Market

    An early morning infeno on Wednesday consumed no fewer than 13 shops located at the Agbara Market, along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Lagos.

    The fire which began at about 4.35 a.m. started from one of the container shops opposite the expressway, but its cause has yet to be ascertained.

    The 13 shops are all situated in a single line directly opposite the expressway.

    A shop owner, Mrs Funmi Olabode, said she was contacted on phone by a neighbour who informed her of the incidence.

    She said that she evacuated all her wares before the fire razed her shop, but expressed regrets that she could not rescue the goods of some of her neighbours.

    Another shop owner, Mr David Buka, who was also able to rescue his wares, expressed shock at the incidence.

    “I don’t even know what to say; I live nearby, and I woke up early because today is supposed to be our market day, only for me to meet this situation,” he said.

    Read Also: Fire destroys goods on Easter Sunday

    Mr Kazeem Sowemimo, who aided in rescuing the goods of some shop owners, said that he works at a Keke Park located in the market and had come out for his day’s work, only to discover the inferno.

    He said: “As I come out, I saw fire and saw as everybody was running up and down, so I just began help out.”

    Some shop owners who arrived the market later were seen opening their shops and hurriedly carting away their goods before the fire extends to their shops.

    There were, however, cries and lamentations by some others, whose shops and goods were razed by the fire.

    The team from the Fire Service in Agbara, arrived the Market at about 5.57am and began fire fighting

    They, however, declined making comment on the incidence.

    Meanwhile, amidst the fire incidence, a gospel preacher with a loud speaker seized the opportunity to preach and warn those helping in the rescue of goods, to steer clear of stealing them.

    He said: “People of God, give glory to God in all situations; and all those of you helping to park goods of people, don’t take what does not belong to you; if you steal here, the fire of God will consume you.”

    NAN reports that among the shops razed down by the fire, include, recharge card shops, Boutiques, Provision shops, Electronics shops among others.

    Efforts to reach any personnel on the incidence proved abortive.

    NAN

     

  • Businessman arraigned for ‘dealing’ in substandard engine oil

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has arraigned a businessman, Cajethan Chike Muonagolu, at the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly dealing in substandard engine oil.

    He was charged with his company, Richbon Nigeria Ltd, before Justice Saliu Saidu.

    They allegedly committed the offence last December 12 at ASPAMDA Trade Fair Complex, Lagos Badagry Expressway.

    SON said they conspired to deal in 15,000 cartons of Prime Plasma, Prime ATF and Stanley brand of engine oil which it said are substandard.

    The prosecution said the defendants claimed that the products were genuine, contrary to Section 3 (6) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act of 2004.

    They also allegedly failed to comply with SON Conformity Assessment Programe (MANCAP) by dealing in engine oil that did not have the requisite MANCAP certification.

    According to the prosecutor, Adeleke Olofindare, the offence is punishable under Section 26 of the SON Act, 2015.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Justice Saliu Saidu adjourned until Thursday.

    Read also: Businessman arraigned for alleged dud cheques issuance

    This is coming less than a month after SON arraigned four men before Justice Oluremi Oguntoyibo of the same court.

    They were charged with producing and selling adulterated engine oil.

    Uche Johnson, Olaide Shittu, Kingsley Meteke and Abdulquadri Olayinka were said to have adulterated 128 drums and 9.45 litres of engine oil.

    They allegedly claimed that the products with genuine engine oil and sold them to unsuspecting motorists.

    Their trial is ongoing.

    SON undertook a nationwide raid on suspected adulterated and substandard lubricants in response to consumer complaints about engine failures caused by substandard oils.

    The Organisation is also prosecuting other standards infractions relating to adulterated and substandard lubricants across the country.

  • Why we’re filling up bad roads by cripple and friend

    They are partners, one a cripple and the other, able-bodied; and their job is to fill up bad spots on the Badagry axis of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, for gratification from appreciative motorists. Simeon Akusu spent time with them.

    MUHAMMED is a disable young Nigerian who has refused to be liability onto himself and community. Together with his unemployed partner, Hamusat Ibrahim, he has decided to impact on his environment in his own way, making up for the almighty federal government, where it is visibly failing.

    Though of Northern Nigerian origin, but resident in the Muwo/Badagry axis of Lagos, Muhammed, a cripple and his partner, Hamusat, have over the past months taken it upon themselves to fix the dangerous potholes and craters that liter the now collapsed Lagos-Badagry Expressway. In effect, they have eased the headache of motorists and passengers on that axis. In return, the beneficiaries have reciprocated in cash, dropping them naira bills of various denominations, which have in turn become daily earnings and means of survival for the men.

    And this, they have been doing with mere sands, broken stones and shovels.

    Speaking with The Nation, Muhammed said the idea was birthed during the rainy season when they usually pack sand from road side and distribute to people whose home, shop or street suffer erosion. Most times, all they needed were sacks for bagging the sand, shovels and a wheelbarrow. It was from there that they graduated to filling up bad spots on the busy highway.

    According to some commercial vehicle drivers spoken to, the two men started the exercise around June 2018. Semiu, a commercial bus driver who plies Mile2 to Badagry said, “The guys probably devised this method, when they realised that begging for alms was no longer lucrative. I think they started working on the express about 10 months ago, when they realised that demand for their previous service of filling up erosion spots was no longer in high demand and people were no longer giving alms like in the past. But people appreciate their present vocation, and road users, both private and commercial, reciprocate by giving them stipends.”

    When asked how they learnt to fill the road so well and what challenges they face, Muhammed said, they didn’t need any real training to fill the roads other than to just make them passable for commuters, “We really don’t need any training or experience; we just fill the road to make it passable for vehicles.”

    His partner, Hamusat, however said the major challenge they are facing is the police. “Most times, the police come to stop us, but we don’t give up, because we know we’re not committing any crime and what we’re doing is beneficial and may even save lives.

    “Because we work in the sun, sometimes, we develop fever. That is the only other challenge, but we take care of that with agbo (herb mixtures) and get stronger.”

    Another thing that this reporter observed is that the two men hardly stay in one place. On finishing with a spot, they move further up to another bad spot and another. Sometimes, the rain comes and wash off their effort at spots they had already worked on, and they move back to fill it up again.

    Just as one began to wonder if the men have any relationship or filial commitment, one of them picked a phone call and this reporter soon overheard the familiar Hausa word for spouse, yanrinyan. Asked if he is married or in a relationship, he smiled and nodded slowly. “I have a wife and kids. That is why I work tirelessly to put food on their table. That’s why I take so much risk,” he said.

    However, with the recent moving of heavy road construction equipment to MTN/Mosafejo area of the expressway and bits of grading taking place, it looks like these gentlemen may in months be out of work. The rumour is that the government has awarded contracts for repair of the road.

    What then would be their means of livelihood? This reporter asked.

    “Until then,” Muhammed said, shrugging his shoulders, “we’ll keep doing what we’re doing.”

  • We ‘ll complete Lagos-Badagry expressway, says Hamzat

    Concerned with the seeming slowpace at which some critical road projects in Lagos is moving, coupled with the attendant consequences in movement of people and goods, Lagos State goverorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has pledged to improve on the quality of living standards in the state if elected in this year’s general elections.

    Echoing the commitment of his principal and his passion to ensure the completion of ongoing critical road projects that included the Lagos Badagry Expressway, Sanwo-Olu’s Running mate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, while fielding questions from respondents on Radio programme last week, assured Lagosians of their commitment to early completion of the expressway.

    According to Hamzat, both Badagry and Lekki-Epe expressways are so critical to the economy of Lagos, that no effort must be spared to ensure their early completion. To this end, issue of the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge may be delayed.

    “Specifically, the ongoing 60-kilometre Lagos-Badagry Expressway project being executed by the state government must be completed as early as possible. The project has two major intermodal transport schemes namely; the Lagos-Badagry Expressway and the Light Rail Mass Transit with their accompanying infrastructure- 10 lanes superhighway taking off from Eric Moore interchange and traverses westward through Orile Iganmu, Alaba Oro, Mile 2, Festac, Agboju, Iyana Iba, Okokomaiko, Iyana Era, Ijanikin, Agbara, Ibereko and terminated at Badagry.

    “The goal is to connect Lagos with the ECOWAS countries. The initiative would no doubt, enhance the  commercial and other business activities between the affected neighbouring countries”. Hamzat said.

    Besides, he acknowledged the importance of Lekki-Epe Expressway, which he said would be expanded and reconstructed, especially, from where it stopped now to the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) in Akodo.

    “Just like the Badagry Expressway, Lekki-Epe axis is also critical, in view of the ongoing enormous development taking place in the axis, there is need to review the issue of Fourth Mainland Bridge. For now, the project must be put in abeyance, because technical reports from experts revealed that the volume of traffic along the axis cannot cope with additional ones that the 4th Mainland bridge will engender.

    “What we intend to do, if we form government, is to begin the construction of Coastal Roads from Ajah axis to Ibeju-Lekki, and possibly compete the abandoned portion of the Expressway from Ibeju to Epe; linking it to Ijebu-Ode, where trucks and other articulated vehicles coming to LFTZ would avoid Ijebu-Ode-Itoikin road”, said the APC Deputy Governor candidate, who assured that their government would massively invest to boost the already existing facilities as well as initiating new ones across the state.

    Hamzat, a former Lagos Commissioner for Science and Technology, as well as Works and Infrastructure, said his principal, Sanwo-Olu and himself were not novice to government, having being in the system for quite a while.

    On the challenges of the ever-growing population of Lagos, which its agreed that is currently over 20 million, with a projected figure of close to 30 million in the next decade, Hamzat emphasised the need to be proactive before the time comes.

    Read also: On Jonathan’s alleged offer of $5m bribe to Hamzat

    “Lagos population is humongous,  despite her being the smallest State in Nigeria with a land area of 3, 577 square kilometres. This translates that it occupies a paltry 0.4 per cent of total land area of Nigeria, which is 923,768 square kilometres”, he said, adding that Lagos has more than two million vehicles on her roads, out of about 12 million vehicles on the Nigerian roads as a whole.

    Drawing from statistical figures obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Hamzat disclosed that about 260, 000 people come into the state daily, while only about 20-25 percent of this figure return to their original places of migration. This huge migration influx to the city, he noted, is overstretching the existing infrastructure and facilities, thereby making for an urgent need to be innovative in providing infrastructure in the state.

    He assured that their plan will be to expand and improve on existing infrastructure project. ‘Government is a continuum and we will continue with existing projects to the benefit of Lagos. Our focus remains ‘Towards a Greater Lagos: A Collective Effort’, he added.

    To this end, Lagos APC deputy governorship candidate said their government would work with an acronym: ‘THEME.’ “Our Promise to Lagosians is ‘THEME Lagos.” The pillar includes traffic management and transportation; health and environment; education and technology; making Lagos a 21st Century economy; entertainment and tourism.

    He stated that efforts will also be geared up towards fixing various inner roads across the state. To achieve this, Hamzat revealed that the three Asphalt plants in the state will be turned around and made ready to put people to work in order to make the roads motorable throughout the year.

     

  • We ‘ll complete Lagos-Badagry expressway, says Hamzat

    Concerned with the seeming slowpace at which some critical road projects in Lagos is moving, coupled with the attendant consequences in movement of people and goods, Lagos State goverorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has pledged to improve on the quality of living standards in the state if elected in this year’s general elections.

    Echoing the commitment of his principal and his passion to ensure the completion of ongoing critical road projects that included the Lagos Badagry Expressway, Sanwo-Olu’s Running mate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, while fielding questions from respondents on Radio programme last week, assured Lagosians of their commitment to early completion of the expressway.

    According to Hamzat, both Badagry and Lekki-Epe expressways are so critical to the economy of Lagos, that no effort must be spared to ensure their early completion. To this end, issue of the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge may be delayed.

    “Specifically, the ongoing 60-kilometre Lagos-Badagry Expressway project being executed by the state government must be completed as early as possible. The project has two major intermodal transport schemes namely; the Lagos-Badagry Expressway and the Light Rail Mass Transit with their accompanying infrastructure- 10 lanes superhighway taking off from Eric Moore interchange and traverses westward through Orile Iganmu, Alaba Oro, Mile 2, Festac, Agboju, Iyana Iba, Okokomaiko, Iyana Era, Ijanikin, Agbara, Ibereko and terminated at Badagry.

    “The goal is to connect Lagos with the ECOWAS countries. The initiative would no doubt, enhance the  commercial and other business activities between the affected neighbouring countries”. Hamzat said.

    Besides, he acknowledged the importance of Lekki-Epe Expressway, which he said would be expanded and reconstructed, especially, from where it stopped now to the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ) in Akodo.

    “Just like the Badagry Expressway, Lekki-Epe axis is also critical, in view of the ongoing enormous development taking place in the axis, there is need to review the issue of Fourth Mainland Bridge. For now, the project must be put in abeyance, because technical reports from experts revealed that the volume of traffic along the axis cannot cope with additional ones that the 4th Mainland bridge will engender.

    “What we intend to do, if we form government, is to begin the construction of Coastal Roads from Ajah axis to Ibeju-Lekki, and possibly compete the abandoned portion of the Expressway from Ibeju to Epe; linking it to Ijebu-Ode, where trucks and other articulated vehicles coming to LFTZ would avoid Ijebu-Ode-Itoikin road”, said the APC Deputy Governor candidate, who assured that their government would massively invest to boost the already existing facilities as well as initiating new ones across the state.

    Hamzat, a former Lagos Commissioner for Science and Technology, as well as Works and Infrastructure, said his principal, Sanwo-Olu and himself were not novice to government, having being in the system for quite a while.

    On the challenges of the ever growing population of Lagos, which its agreed that is currently over 20 million, with a projected figure of close to 30 million in the next decade, Hamzat emphasised the need to be proactive before the time comes.

    “Lagos population is humongous,  despite her being the smallest State in Nigeria with a land area of 3, 577 square kilometres. This translates that it occupies a paltry 0.4 per cent of total land area of Nigeria, which is 923,768 square kilometres”, he said, adding that Lagos has more than two million vehicles on her roads, out of about 12 million vehicles on the Nigerian roads as a whole.

    Drawing from statistical figures obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Hamzat disclosed that about 260, 000 people come into the state daily, while only about 20-25 percent of this figure return to their original places of migration. This huge migration influx to the city, he noted, is overstretching the existing infrastructure and facilities, thereby making for an urgent need to be innovative in providing infrastructure in the state.

    He assured that their plan will be to expand and improve on existing infrastructure project. ‘Government is a continuum and we will continue with existing projects to the benefit of Lagos. Our focus remains ‘Towards a Greater Lagos: A Collective Effort’, he added.

    To this end, Lagos APC deputy governorship candidate said their government would work with an acronym: ‘THEME.’ “Our Promise to Lagosians is ‘THEME Lagos.” The pillar includes traffic management and transportation; health and environment; education and technology; making Lagos a 21st Century economy; entertainment and tourism.

    He stated that efforts will also be geared up towards fixing various inner roads across the state. To achieve this, Hamzat revealed that the three Asphalt plants in the state will be turned around and made ready to put people to work in order to make the roads motorable throughout the year.

  • Lagos-Badagry expressway: Ending a nation’s shame

    Lock up transportation and you lock up an economy. This aphorism has been proven beyond doubt on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, which has been locked down to traffic for over two decades. Hence the joy of residents and motorists knew no bounds when the Federal Executive Council (FEC), awarded the contract for its repairs, writes ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE.

    The approval last Wednesday, by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), of the repair of the 46-kilometre Lagos-Badagry Expressway, may have saved the government from bad publicity.

    Angry stakeholders (which comprised residents, motor unionists and other road users) had planned a massive two-day protest from Badagry to Mile 2 on October 30 and 31, to call attention to the deplorable state of the road. But one of the co-ordinators, Mr. Mike Whetodeh, a former director at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, Badagry, said the protest has been called off in deference to the new development.

    “FEC today approved a contract for the rehabilitation of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, specifically the 46km Section from Agbara-Badagry-Seme Border. The repair of the section from Eric Moore to Okokomaiko is being carried out by the Lagos State Govt,” the government disclosed on its twitter handle, @Asorock last Wednesday.

    The road is dilapidated as the Lagos State Government failed to work on it after promising to convert it to a 10-lane expressway.

    The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) Vice-Chairman,  Mr Oloyede Edun, described the road as a death trap. According to him many lives have been lost to accidents in the past, while it has become a den of armed robbers, who rob motorists plying the road with impunity. He said the Federal Government has been on the road for about 30 years.

    A concerned resident, Mr Benjamin Bako, a businessman, who lives at Agbara, said the road went from bad to worse and got worst due to abandonment.

    He said remedial works by the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) were merely superficial, and a conduit for sleaze, as it lasted long enough for it to be re-awarded to either the same contractor or another.

    “Government officials and contractors have been feeding fat on the plight of the people living in this area. It is as if we are not living in Nigeria and it is worrisome that such a huge network of corruption, greed and avarice with such impunity could be going on for a decade right in Lagos, the nation’s commercial capital,” he said.

    Bako was part of those spearheading the protest that was called off. He said protest remains the only platform through which the people can register their grievances against the government.

    Road to neglect

    The Expressway is extremely deplorable. Areas such as Iyana-Ishashi, Ijanikin, Agbara, Magbon, Oko-Afo, Elijah and Mowo are impassable. Vehicles, most of which are rickety, due to the state of the road, use one way to get to their destinations. Motorcycles have become the preferred means of transportation. Admitting that the corridor has passed through a terrible time, the Lagos State Government, however, did not agree it abandoned the road completely. Its plans for the critical corridor was underscored by the various initiatives, especially the plan to turn it  into a 10-lane, with mass transit light rail and bus rapid transit lanes.

    Earlier in the year, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Ade Akinsanya, said the government would employ a PPP arrangement to reverse the fortunes of the road.

    He spoke of plans by the Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a consortium of investors for the construction of the Seme-Badagry Expressway. The initiative was a novel answer to the long delay suffered by the project since the Fashola years, when funds needed for it couldn’t be raised.

    Ambode has also directed that the completed portion – from Eric Moore to Okokomaiko – be opened to the public by the contractor, even as the Public Works Corporation have been directed to embark on aggressive repair works on the road.

    A trip on the road could leave a first-time visitor to the country through Seme Border wondering if the government understood the importance of the road to its economy.

    Tales of woes

    Built in the 60s, the road leads to West African sub region, connecting Nigeria with 17 other countries such as Benin Republic, Ghana, Togo, Bourkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Buissau and Liberia, Mali, Mauritania and Niger among others.

    It also serves as a critical link to the commercial and tourism hub with the road being the only access to Agbara, the nation’s foremost industrial cluster with over 1,000 corporate presence and a spring of other communities, which sprung along the route.

    For the residents, an hour’s journey now takes almost 12 hours to navigate. Prof. Samuel Odewunmi narrated that he had to resort to sending necessary materials to one of his Master’s student when the student spent 11 hours to get to class at the Lagos State University, Ojo, on a Saturday.

    “He arrived at the school after 4pm and I just asked him to rest for one hour and to return home. He left the school around 5pm and didn’t arrive at his Lekki home until 11pm. I then henceforth resorted to sending him his lecture notes online.

    The parlous state of the international gateway has simply paralysed commerce. Bako said many firms at Agbara are either at the verge of closing up, or rationalising their staff as a result of glut occasioned by the poor road.

    “Many, who cannot withstand the traffic on the road caused by bad portions, resort to okada, violating the Road Traffic Law 2012. No one would wish to go by okada, but when the road is bad and one wishes to arrive home early, he has no option than to take the risk.”

    Renewed hope

    But these frustrations may be a thing of the past soon as the Federal Government has taken responsibility to repair the road.

    Prof Odewunmi described the move as belated, but smart, as it would lay to rest the nation’s shame. He said Nigeria is the only country with the worst section on the trans-West African route.

    Odewunmi, who is the Dean of Transportation Studies at LASU, said the nation and Lagos State are losing heavily as a result of the lockdown of that critical corridor adding; “When transportation is not working, the entire economy suffers cardiac arrest.

    “Importers spend four days from FESTAC Gate to Agbara first bridge, and it could be traumatising if you are importing perishable goods.”

    He also urged the Federal Government to drop the 10-lane idea as it may be unsustainable and avoidable wastage, taking into cognisance the present volume of traffic along the corridor. “If we are fixated on 10-lane, government may not finish in 10 years, but if you do a four lane expressway, with provision for future development, when we have the funds and the right volume of vehicles, it would deflood the traffic and we can achieve the project in record time,” he said.

    Commissioner for information and Strategy Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan commended the Federal Government for taking the burden of repair off the state.

    “The Lagos-Badagry Expressway is an international route and it is strategic to us in Lagos State, for the purpose of commerce and International trade and especially for the purpose of inter- African collaboration,” he said.

    He said the repair will encourage more traffic between Lagos and the West African sub region, and boost the state’s tourism industry.

    “The development of the Badagry axis has been one of the key focus of this government. We are keen on the development of tourism in Badagry, and various other initiatives. The rehabilitation of that axis by the government will further enhance and complement the commercial value of  Badagry as a destintion for commerce and tourism,” Bamigbetan said.

    Former Commissioner for Transportation Kayode Opeifa said the Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Minister for Power Works and Housing (PWH) Babatunde Fashola and the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President Mr Ade Ipaiye deserve all accolades in the eventual listing of the road for repair by the Federal Government.

    Opeifa said six weeks back, he had volunteered to lead a protest to call government’s attention to the plight of residents and motorists on the corridor, adding that all that are no longer necessary as the government has finally owned up to repair the road.

    Opeifa confirmed that the government is considering a four-lane expressway, a decision, which according to him is buttressed by a study conducted by the Fashola government in Lagos, which indicated that a 10-lane is unnecessary for the present traffic load along that corridor.

    Conclusion

    Apart from being a trans-West African link road, the Lagos-Badagry Expressway is in the nation’s largest senatorial district and a tourism hub.

    “With a population of almost 15 million people, the senatorial district, which is home to a large number of UNESCO historic sites such as the whispering palms, the Point of no return and other tourism sites, is the highest revenue yielding zone for the nation outside oil. We are grateful that at last, the government is showing some concern for the people and that is what matters,” he said.

  • LASG resumes work on Lagos-Badagry road

    Lagos State Government has assured commuters that effort to rehabilitate the bad portions of the Lagos-Badagry road has resumed following cessation of the rains.

    The Government promised to keep its maintenance workers and equipment on the road until commuters and other users are relieved of the stress caused by the bad portions.

    Read Also:Lagos-Badagry Expressway in terrible condition, says FRSC

    Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya stated this on Wednesday while addressing the situation on the road.

    He said that the government has maintained the road regularly in the last three and a half years through rehabilitation even though it is a federal government road,  explaining that discussions with investors willing to upgrade the road under the Private –Public Partnership deal is going on at both the state and federal levels.

    “So far, the Public Works Corporation has carried out palliative works at Iyana Era, Ijanikin, Oko-afo, Magbon, Ibereko, Araromi, Iyana Isashi and Agbara”, Akinsanya said, adding that the government has mobilized other contractors to ensure full coverage of the assignment.

    Emphasising the importance of the route to trade in the West African region, the Akinsanya said the plan to expand the Lagos-Badagry Expressway to a 10-lane highway, which began with the construction of the section from Eric Moore to Okokomaiko, topped discussions between Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and Chinese investors on President Buhari’s recent trip to China.

    He said in July, this year, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode responded to the complaints of residents over challenge posed to traffic by bumper to bumper movement by directing that the completed segment of the road with the BRT Corridor from Eric Moore to Trade Fair be opened up to  ease traffic.

    To further alleviate the suffering of the motoring public in the Badagry division, the Commissioner said the present administration has completed the construction of Aradagun-Iworo-Ajido road and Ajara- Agelaso- Poka/ Erekiti with bridge.

    He said the government was also building the Aradagun-Imeke-Ajido-Epeme road, Samuel –Ekundayo/Toga and will soon embark on the construction of Abule Ado road.

    Akinsanya assured peace loving citizens that there would be adequate security on the road to ensure smooth traffic and protect residents from danger.

  • Lagos-Badagry Expressway in terrible condition, says FRSC

    The Lagos-Badagry Expressway is in deplorable condition, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC),  has said, warning motorists against speeding on it.

    The Badagry-Seme Command of FRSC told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry:  “We must be sincere with ourselves, the road is in a deplorable state.”

    Its unit commander, Fatai Bakare, said the corps had written to the Ministry of Works and the agencies of the government about the road.

    “It is part of our duty to do a monthly audit of roads in Badagry up to Seme border and other federal roads under our control.

    “We have audited the Lagos-Seme Expressway this month and submitted our reports to our headquarters, for onward submission to the affected ministry and agencies.

    “To be candid, the Federal Government is not folding its arms on ensuring that the road is good.

    “Recently, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said the road contract has been awarded,” Bakare said.

    He quoted the minister as saying that the ministry had resolved the problems surrounding the continuous construction of the road.

    The commander hoped that the contractor handling the project would soon return to site.

    He said officials from the unit had been deployed to the bad portion to prevent crashes.

    Bakare said the unit had started an aggressive public enlightenment programme to educate residents on the need to have accident-free `ember’ months.

    “I just came back from the popular Badagry roundabout, where I addressed motorists and distributed handbills,” he said.

    NAN reports that motorists, passengers and road transport unions have expressed their dissatisfaction over the state of the Lagos-Badagry expressway, describing it as a deathtrap.