Mr Clement Adejala, Chief Engineer in the Federal Ministry of Works on Saturday, raised alarm over activities of truck drivers, allegedly damaging a completed portion on the ongoing Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki reconstruction/rehabilitation project.
Articulated vehicles were parked in two rows, starting from the front of Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) office, beside 7Up bottling company on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The file which was on the Ojota/Oworonshoki Bound Carriageway, extended to the front of the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre on the highway.
Commenting, the engineer explained that that portion of the highway was the terminal point of the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway project being handled by the Dangote Group.
He said the U-turn at Old Toll Gate was the beginning of section one of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway reconstruction/rehabilitation which was directly linking the end of the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki project on the highway.
Adejala lamented that the truck drivers who parked indiscriminately used the highway for mechanical repair works and other activities, thereby discharging diesel, water and other wastes that damaged construction.
He added that some of the trucks had been abandoned on the same spot for over three weeks.
He explained that petroleum products and water were not friendly with ashphalt because they both disintegrated construction materials.
Adejala who is the engineer supervising construction on section one of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project, said the Lagos State Task Force had been notified and they would serve eviction notices.
He added that a stakeholders meeting was also being planned to educate transport unions on the danger of road abuse, causing quick road degeneration.
He added that the sensitization was important before enforcement to make articulated vehicle drivers understand the need to protect public infrastructure.
“It is the task force that will come and serve them eviction notices. I don’t know how many days ultimatum they will give but after that time expires, we will now come for enforcement.
“What we are doing now is to create awareness and sensitization first,” he said.
The Dangote Group is handling the Apapa-Oshodi-Ojota-Oworonshoki Expressway project under the tax credit scheme of the Federal Government but has HITECH as sub-contactor.
