The Federal Ministry of Works has suspended further reconstruction on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, due to the public outcry over the chaotic traffic situation on the expressway.
The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mrs Olukorede Kesha, in a statement, said the suspension was to reduce possible gridlock during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration slated for Wednesday and Thursday.
The statement reads: “Due to the recent heavy traffic flow being experienced on the Lagos-Shagamu route in the last couple of days, the inclement weather conditions, the forthcoming Eid Kabir and the advice of the traffic management team deployed to manage traffic-related issues on the project.
“Construction activities on this ever busy and very important highway will be suspended from Tuesday, 27 of June to Sunday, 2 of July 2023.
“This is to allow travellers easy passage during the Eid holiday and minimise the discomfort of traffic gridlock during this very important period.
“Travelers are advised to cooperate with Traffic Management Team deployed on the highway to manage traffic.”
The 127-kilometre Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is Nigeria’s oldest road that was commissioned in 1978 by the military government of Olusegun Obasanjo.
The contract for its reconstruction was awarded in 2013 by the Goodluck Jonathan administration at N315 billion.
So far, the Federal Government has approved about N240 billion for the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, out of a total of N315 billion which is the project’s contract value.
The highway, on which work has stalled over time, connects Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states, and it leads to various regions of the country.
The Federal Government had initially made a concession agreement with Wale Babalakin’s Bi-Courtney to rebuild and manage the road for 25 years, but after the company failed to make any progress, the Federal Government, on November 19, 2012, terminated the contract.
As a result, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, in July 2013, flagged off the reconstruction of the highway and awarded the project to Julius Berger Nigeria and Reynolds Construction Company Nigeria at a cost of N167 billion with a completion period of four years.