Abiodun flags off construction of Abeokuta-Ota-Lagos Road

Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on Friday, flagged off the construction of the 70-kilometre Abeokuta-Ifo-Ota-Lagos Expressway with a pledge to complete it in 18 months.

  
The governor, who performed the flag-off at Itori, Ewekoro Local Government Area, noted that the road is significant not only to Ogun State but also to Lagos State and the nation as a whole, as it provides a thoroughfare for people going to the neighbouring country.
  
It would be recalled that the attempt to reconstruct the road was first conceived in 2019, but all efforts to convince the Federal Government to release it to the Ogun State government proved abortive.
 
Abiodun said: “The plan for the reconstruction of this road did not just start today because we have the interest of our people at heart. We know this is a Federal Government road, and the state had to follow the due process before getting the required approval to commence the reconstruction.
  
“This road was awarded in 2003, but since then, it has suffered insufficient funding, resulting in contractors working and many times abandoning the road at times for a year. Our people have suffered too much travelling on this road, but today Hope is Renewed.

“I am glad to inform you that work is beginning on the road immediately. The excuse then was that there was a sitting contractor on the road. The best the state could do at that time was to carry out palliative works on the critical sections along the road axis.

We re-opened our appeal to the Federal Government to reconstruct the road upon the inauguration of His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who graciously, through the Minister for Works, handed over the reconstruction of the road to Ogun State.
  
“I want to use this medium, therefore, to express my heartfelt gratitude to the President for obliging our state’s request by granting the approval and releasing the Abeokuta-Ifo-Sango-Abule-Egba Road to us for reconstruction.

  
“My sincere appreciation also goes to the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, for his support and cooperation in ensuring our state got the necessary approval to reconstruct the road.” 
 
The governor described the road as the second busiest in the country apart from the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
  
“Abeokuta-Ifo-Sango Road has been adjudged to be the second busiest road in Nigeria and is vital to the economy of the people of Ogun State and Nigerians at large. It connects Abeokuta and its hinterlands to Lagos State, and links Ilaro in Ogun West; connects to Sagamu in Ogun East through the Sagamu-Interchange-Papalanto-Ilaro road. 
  
“On the Ota side, it also connects the Sango-Atan-Owode-Idi-Iroko road, leading to border towns and the Benin Republic.  The road serves as a critical artery for numerous industrial hubs in Ota, including the Lafarge Cement Factory, Ile-Ise Awo, various schools and higher institutions. The communities along this corridor are densely populated, and the road’s strategic location has a significant impact on trade and economic activities,” he added.
  
Abiodun noted that five construction gangs would be involved in the execution of the project for speedy completion.
  
“To fast-track the reconstruction of the road, five reconstruction teams will be involved, and each team will handle one of the following zones: Ota-Ifo, Papalanto, Ewekoro-Itori, Abeokuta, and the team allocated for palliative works to ensure smooth traffic along the project alignment during the construction duration.
 
“Each zone covers a distance of approximately 15km. The Abeokuta-Ifo-Sango-Abule-Egba Road project is expected to be completed in 18 months,” Abiodun stressed.