The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

  • Eight die in tanker explosion on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

    EIGHT persons were burnt to death yesterday when a container truck and a fuel-laden tanker exploded following an accident yesterday.

    The Nation gathered that the accident occurred near the Four Square Gospel Church Campground at  Ogunmakin on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    Ogun State Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) officials and the police laboured to rescue victims.

    TRACE Public Relations Officer Babatunde Akinbiyi said the fuel tanker was going to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    He said the dead were inside the  truck.

    Akinbiyi said: “Both vehicles were sharing a part of the expressway due to the on-going reconstruction on the other part of the road, both vehicles had a side-collision which triggered an opening in the tanker and fuel started gushing out from it. It later caught fire.

    “Eight persons from the truck are already confirmed dead.  Rescue operation is on-going by TRACE, FRSC, fire service and other security agencies.”

  • Four killed in tanker explosion on Lagos – Ibadan expressway

    Four killed in tanker explosion on Lagos – Ibadan expressway

    Four persons have been burnt to death while unspecified number of others were still trapped in a burning container truck following an tanker explosion when a truck bearing fuel collided with it on Tuesday.

    The Nation gathered that the accident occurred near the Four Square Gospel Church Camp ground at the Ogunmakin stretch of the Lagos – Ibadan expressway when the tanker loaded with Premium Motor Spirit(PMS) had a side collision with another carrying container full of passengers.

    It was further learnt that the impact of the collision ruptured a part of the fuel tanker and touched off a huge huge fire outbreak and explosion as fuel gushed out.

    Operatives of the Fire Service of Ogun State, Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC), Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency(TRACE) and the Police laboured to rescue victims and clear the engendered traffic gridlock even as an emergency rescue equipment hurried to the scene by RCC, a construction firm, also battled to untangle the container from the burning fuel tanker.

    The Public Relations Officer of TRACE, Babatunde Akinbiyi, who confirmed the accident, said the fuel tanker was going to Ibadan while the one bearing container full of passengers, was heading towards Iwo road in Ibadan.

    Babatunde added four persons from the container died in the accident – cum tanker fire while others also got trapped.

    “Both vehicles were sharing a part of the expressway due to the on -going reconstruction on the other part of the road, both vehicles had a side-collision which triggered an opening in the tanker and fuel started gushing out from it.

    “Four persons from the container are already confirmed dead, while others are still trapped with rescue operation is on-going by TRACE, FRSC, Fire Service and other security agencies,” Babatunde said.

  • Dogara seeks completion of 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

    Dogara seeks completion of 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

    House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara yesterday called for the completion of the Second Niger Bridge and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, saying that they are pivotal to national development.

    Dogara spoke while declaring open a two-day investigative hearing on the nature of the contract or concession arrangement on the projects, organised by the House Committee on Works.

    Represented by the Deputy Minority Leader, Rep. Chukwuka Onyema, Dogara said the investigative hearing became critical given that the projects were constant ugly features in national discourse.

    While stating that proactive steps must be taken to ensure early completion of the projects, the Speaker said that the projects constitute vital arterial network for the country’s road transport system.

    “They have become media sensations and highly politicized to the extent that it now seems that we are playing games with the lives of our people.

    “Past administrations have celebrated progress ostensibly made on them while achieving little or nothing in reality,’’ Dogara said.

    According to the Speaker, the House observed that contracts for the projects continued to feature in annual budgets without any seeming signs of their completion or total amount required to do so.

    “The Minister for Power, Works and Housing stated that funds for the projects in 2017 Appropriation Act were reduced, so they run the risk of becoming white elephant projects because they are not under concession or Public-Private Partnership arrangement.’’

    He added that the manner of execution of the projects was not in accordance with any defined method of projects execution.

    “The Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority had spent about N18 billion on the Second Niger Bridge as the financier during their early stages.

    “As a result of these observations, the House, by resolution, urged the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing to provide funds in the 2018 budget for the completion of the projects,’’ the Speaker said.

    Dogara noted that the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway had become a subject of litigations as the government vacillates between executing it through PPP arrangement and direct funding.

    “Unfortunately, the same affliction is seeping into the execution of the Second Niger Bridge.

    “If the House of Representatives, in its oversight responsibility, does not step in at this time, we run the risk of continuing this path and the rehabilitation of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway will remain a mirage and the Second Niger Bridge will never get constructed,’’ Dogara said.

  • Two die, six injured in another accident on Kara bridge

    Two die, six injured in another accident on Kara bridge

    Barely 48 hours after multiple vehicles accident on Kara bridge (Ogun State) stretch of the Lagos – Ibadan expressway killed five and injuring 17 others, another multiple accidents on same bridge have left two dead and six persons injured.

    The accident which occurred on Saturday afternoon, involved a  Mazda bus marked SGM 530 XA, Grand Cherokee with registration number JJJ 520 DY and Ogun  BRT bus marked  XA 354 APP.

    Operatives of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency(TRACE), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigeria Police and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) were sighted clearing  obstruction, directing traffic and assisting victims.

    It was learnt that one of the vehicles going in the direction of Lagos, rammed into another from, following brake failure and set off a chain of multiple accidents afterwards, according to  the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi.

    Akinbiyi stated that two persons – male and female, died in the accident while six others were injured.

  • Police arrest ‘kidnapper’, rescue Chinese 

    Police arrest ‘kidnapper’, rescue Chinese 

    The police in Ogun yesterday said a Chinese, Lee Qiang, kidnapped on Monday along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway has been rescued.

    Qiang was kidnapped by six armed men around 5pm at Ogere while he was on his way to Abeokuta, the state  capital.

    It was gathered that the Chinese was rescued Tuesday morning by operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in Ogun, who engaged the kidnappers in gun duel.

    According to the spokesman for the command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, an Assistant Superintendent of Police  (ASP), the police overpowered the kidnappers, who fled with gunshot wounds.

    However, Oyeyemi said one of them was arrested by the FSARS team led by Uba Adam, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP).

    Police

    He said: “The man was going to Abeokuta from Kogi when they kidnapped him. He was in his vehicle with his driver. They kidnapped him for ransom but they were unable to get it because they were immediately hunted.

    “The Commissioner of Police Ahmed Iliyasu dispatched operatives of the FSARS to the scene with a clear instruction that the victim must be rescued unhurt and the hoodlums apprehended.

    “The team swung into action, combed the entire area and later located the hideout of the kidnappers. On sighting policemen, the hoodlums engaged them in gun battle at the end of which one of the suspects was arrested while others escaped with gunshot injuries.

    “The victim was rescued unhurt. The arrested suspect is currently helping the police in their investigation, while the victim has been reunited with his people.

    The Commissioner is appealing to the public, especially hospitals and health workers to report any body with bullet injuries if seen in their area.”

  • One dead, three injured as trailer shoves car into ditch

    One dead, three injured as trailer shoves car into ditch

    An early morning accident on Lagos – Ibadan expressway, has left one person dead and three others injured when a long truck swept their vehicle off the road from the rear and pushed it into a ditch.

    The accident which occurred near the proposed Mile 12 market in Ogere stretch of the expressway, involved a Toyota car marked AGL 743 EM and a trailer.

    The Public Relations Officer of the state’s Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, confirmed the accident, said reckless driving caused the accident.

    Akinbiyi added that a trailer hit the rear of the Toyota car and pushed it into a ditch.

    “Four  people were  on board, two males and one female were rescued to Skylark Hospital near the area while one female is presumed dead. The presumed dead has  been taken to a mortuary in Ipara community,” Akinbiyi said.

  • Presidency’s N137b virement not listed as Senate, Reps return

    Presidency’s N137b virement not listed as Senate, Reps return

    An executive proposal  for the virement of N135.6billion in the 2017 budget for critical infrastructure, including rail projects and the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway,is not listed on the order paper as the National Assembly returns today from a two-month recess.

    The lawmakers, who went on recess on July 27, may discuss the raging issue of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the restructuring of the polity.

    Divergent views are being expressed on these issues by stakeholders, including the lawmakers.

    Apart from the addresses by the presiding officers – Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara – two bills are to go through third reading in the House of Representatives. They are the National Roads Fund Bill and the Medical Residency Bill.

    Then Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on July 20 wrote to the lawmakers, seeking for a virement of N135, 643,018,749 in the 2017 budget to enable the government fund its priority projects and programmes in the 2017 fiscal year.

    Osinbajo’s letter indicated that the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and 13 ministries would be affected.

    Osinbajo explained that the virement was part of the agreement reached between the Presidency and leadership of the National Assembly prior to the signing of the N7.441 trillion budget into law.

    He noted that N46, 004,049,292 was to be vired in projects within the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing; N66 billion was to be vired within projects of the Ministry of Transportation.

    According to him, sources of the virements are N33.247 billion from Ministry of Transportation; N3, 181,973,545 from Ministry of Power, Works and Housing; N14, 130,719,780 from Office of the Secretary to the Government of Federation; N5 billion from Office of the National Security Adviser; N5, 009,244,926 from Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and N5, 494,065,749 from Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.

    The then Acting President added that N1 billion was to be vired within projects of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; N7, 698,811,674 from Federal Ministry of Interior and N80, 500,000 from Ministry of Trade and Investment; N3.150 billion from Ministry of Defence; N770 million from Federal Ministry of Education; N1.7 billion from the Federal Capital Territory Administration and N1.3 billion from Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.

    Other sources include: N1 billion from the Federal Ministry of Health; N735, 035,00 from office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; N1, 093,579,983 from Ministry of Labour and Employment; N729 million from Ministry of Information and Culture; N734 million from Ministry of Communication and Technology; N2, 387,541,000 from Ministry of Water Resources; N1 billion from Federal Ministry of Mines and Steels Development; N241, 001,800 from Federal Ministry of Environment.

    Senate spokesman Sabi Abdullahi in a statement listed the priority areas to include: the passage of the three petroleum industry bills; social justice bills like the Jungle Justice Bill; employment-related bills like the Occupational Safety Bill and the Existing Vacancies Bill.

    “Of course, we cannot forget the three Petroleum Industry Governance Bills

    “We will also consider resolutions on the next actions to take with the flooding that has occurred in several states across the nation. Through our oversight powers, we will continue to work with executives at various levels to ensure that our town planning laws are updated to mitigate against flooding and other man-made disasters.”

    “We have our work cut-out for us, however, working with and on behalf of all Nigerians, we will achieve all that we have set out to do.”

    On the order paper today in the House of Representatives  as contained in the procedure guide of the speaker is the presentation of 20 bills. The Clerk of the House will read out the short titles to members. These are to pass through First Reading.

    The report of the ad hoc committee on the Urgent Need to investigate the Huge Debts Owed to PPMC by major and Independent Oil Marketers/ Sabotage by some Oil Marketers will be presented to the House

    The report of the investigation, which was referred to the Committee on September 29, last year is to be presented by Hon. Mahmud Gaya.

    A motion on the Urgent Need for Measures to Permanently Address the Perennial   Flood in Benue State”, will be taken by the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Orker Jev.

    Another motion under the title: “Motion on the need to construct roads to the Nigeria crude oil onshore terminals,” will be taken by Hon. Awaking- Inombek Abiante.

    A motion on “Call to investigate the 2016/2017 Federal Civil Service recruitment exercise with a view of identifying anomalies,” will be treated by Hon, Henry Nwawuba.

    On the list also is a motion “ Calling on the Federal Government to provide grants to indigenous oil companies to enable them compete favourably with multinational companies.” This is to be taken by Hon. Benjamin Okolo.

    A bill to amend the Standards Organisation Act in a bid to empower the organisation to carry out inspection goods to be imported into Nigeria will be taken.

    But it is expected that sensitive issues, such as IPOB and the calls for restructuring, if mentioned, would come through Matters of Urgent National Importance.

    Eight reports by the House Committee on Public Petition are also listed for consideration today.

    Before commencement of recess in July, Saraki hinted of the need to reshuffle standing committees to make them effective and functional. It is expected that the rearrangement of the committees will be one of the issues lined up by the Senate President.

    The resumption of suspended former Senate Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, is another issue before the Senate.

    Ndume was suspended for six months for raising issues concerning alleged certificate forgery against Senator Dino Melaye and purchase of exotic cars by Saraki without investigation.

    The Borno South lawmaker has served out his suspension.

    Ndume’s case will be decided by the court next month

     

  • Bus driver dies in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway auto crash

    Bus driver dies in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway auto crash

    One person died on Saturday while others were injured in an accident involving a tanker and a Mazda commercial bus on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, an official said.

    Mr Babatunde Akinbiyi, the spokesman for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE),  confirmed the fatality to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abeokuta.

    Akinbiyi said the accident was caused by over speeding on the part of the tanker driver, who was coming from Lagos.

    According to him, the tanker hit the road barrier erected by the contractors working on the expressway and rammed into the Lagos-bound bus at 9. 25 a.m.

    “The driver of the bus lost his life in the accident which involved a tanker laden with ethanol marked AKD 650 XQ and the bus with registration no. BWR 515 XA.

    “The tanker which was coming from Lagos hit the barrier and rammed into the bus going to Lagos. Only the driver of the bus has died for now, ” he said.

    Akinbiyi said the body of the driver had been deposited at the morgue of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.

    He said the accident had caused slow movement of vehicles on both sides of the expressway currently undergoing reconstruction.

    “Officials of TRACE and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) are on ground to monitor the situation.”

  • FRSC to ease traffic flow on Lagos-Ibadan expressway

    FRSC to ease traffic flow on Lagos-Ibadan expressway

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said it had devised measures to restore traffic flow on the jam-packed Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

    A statement by Mrs Florence Okpe, the FRSC Public Education Officer in Ogun, said on Wednesday that the Corps had inaugurated its ‘Operation Restore Sanity’ along the corridor since Monday.

    It will be recalled that a major disaster was averted last Thursday after a loaded petroleum tanker fell and spilt its contents on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    The incident, which occurred around 8 am, caused gridlock as security agencies cordoned off the expressway to prevent residents from scooping fuel from the tanker.

    The FRSC education officer said that the operation would enhance the smooth flow of persons and goods along the expressway especially at the Mowe and Ibafo end of the road.

    “The operation, which is aimed at ensuring free movement of vehicles along the expressway, will ensure the arrest and prosecution of persons driving against traffic and other traffic offences.

    “This effort is being complemented with officials of Julius Berger Plc, to effect repairs on identified bad portions of the corridor notorious for causing gridlocks,” she added.

    Okpe, therefore, advised motorists to obey traffic laws and cooperate with FRSC officials working t a ensure free flow of traffic.

  • Gani Adams to Fed Govt: fix Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

    The National Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, has urged the Federal Government to work with the National Assembly “and ensure the completion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway immediately”.

    Adams, who regretted what he called the lackadaisical attitude of some members of the Executive and Legislature “to the urgency that should be attached to fixing this important road”, noted that “the lack of seriousness is a reflection of why things are not working in Nigeria”.

    Adams, who just returned from Sweden where he presided over the third summit of Oodua Progressives Union (OPU), said it was unfortunate that while leaders in other countries see infrastructure as an avenue of alleviating the suffering of the masses, “leaders in Nigeria play politics with everything”.

    He added: “In fact, the only thing they don’t play politics with is the air we breathe, and that is because it is beyond their power.”

    Describing the expressway as “the major artery that carries the lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy”, Adams said: “The fact that many administrations have not been able to fix this road is an embarrassment.

    “This is a road that leads Lagos to the West, East and North. Completed in 1978 as a four-lane highway, it is the busiest highway in West Africa and one of the busiest in Africa. About 300,000 vehicles ply this road everyday. It is a shame that successive administrations did not show signs of seriousness about fixing the road.

    “In Sweden and other Western countries, you cannot differentiate day from night because of the smoothness of their roads and effective lighting. But the reverse is the case in Nigeria.

    “Recently, Power, Works and Housing Minister, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, raised the alarm on how budget for this expressway was cut and lawmakers, instead of addressing the problem, started playing politics with it. Hundreds of thousands of Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba and other ethnic nationalities ply this road everyday. So, the road is not for Yoruba but for Nigerians. Any serious government would have fixed the road a long time ago.

    “This is 2017, and we are still playing politics with this reconstruction. Now, the two contractors – Julius Berger and Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) – have threatened to abandon the road due to the delay in the payment of agreed contract fees on work already done. How did we get to this level of apathy in matters bordering on development?

    “We in the OPC are of the opinion that if some principal officers in government are suffering from short-sightedness, millions of Nigerians can clearly see how the lack of seriousness in government is squeezing the economy and inflicting agony on businesses. The neglect of this road is an example in this regard.

    “The apparent neglect of this road for decades is not without grave consequences. No serious country jokes with the welfare of its citizens. The reconstruction of this road should be a priority because of its importance to the economic growth of our country.

    “We in OPC call on Acting President Yemi Osinbajo to do the needful immediately. Enough of politicking and irresponsibility on the part of government officials. We demand that this road is fixed today.”