The tempo of construction works on the Lagos – Ibadan Express road is soon to increase with the completion of the “new enhanced design” of the road and re-dedication of all stakeholders to its completion on schedule.
Giving this assurance while speaking with newsmen in Lagos, Mr. Hakeem Olopade, a director of Motorways Asset Limited, the project company partnering with the Federal Ministry of Works for the delivery of a fully-enhanced Lagos -Ibadan Express Road, said that the need for due process, enhancements to earlier design and nature had largely been responsible for the slow pace of work on “the novel PPP-structured road.”
Olopade, who is also the Executive Director (Projects) at The Infrastructure Bank (TIB), the federal government’s Fund Arrangers for the N167 Billion road project, said that the road remained the most crucial highway in the Nigerian transport sector and could not be abandoned by the government.
The executive director said that TIB had successfully raised the “Tranche I” of the financing of the project in line with the expectations of the federal government and other stakeholders while the “Tranche II” is currently being arranged.
He added that the stakeholders would maximize efficiency gains in the construction phases of the project to ensure its completion to time and budget.
The executive director disclosed that financial obligations and commitments are being kept to keep the contractors on site while the stakeholders finalize the new designs and geometric drawings whilst necessary development studies are also being finalised in good time ahead of full construction work resumption soon.
He, however, admitted that arrangement of funds for the project was “slightly slowed down by legal conundrum” occasioned by the 2012 termination of the former concessionaire agreements on the road.
Olopade also said that “the rains have also recently affected full blown construction activities as some asphalt works have to be suspended till the dry season.”
He assured that all the lost construction grounds would be covered by the two construction giants – Julius Berger Plc and Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) – once the rains are over.
Julius Berger Plc handles the six-lane Shagamu Interchange and Lagos end of the road while RCC handles the 84-kilometer Shagamu – Ibadan (Ojoo interchange) part of the road.
The road is made up of a two-lane dual carriage of 7.3-metre on both directions; 2.75-metre of outer hard shoulder and 1.8-metre of inner hard shoulder and median.
When completed, it is expected to be fully equipped with world-standard amenities that will eliminate the current hazards associated with the road which was commissioned in 1978.
