Saturday, August 20, 2011
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The Federal Ministry of Works has lauded Ogun State government for its massive investments in road construction and its intervention on failed portions of the federal roads in its domains.
Members of the Presidential Audit Team, led by the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Engr. Ejike Egbemena, stated this during a courtesy visit to the governor in Abeokuta. The team commended the state government for its palliative work at Sango-Ota, which has since eased the traffic gridlock on the Ogun State end of the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway and its reconstruction of the completely dilapidated portion of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway at Mowe, opposite the Redeemed Christian Church of God Camp.
The team stated that the effort of the state government on these two federal roads had ameliorated the untold hardship being experienced by commuters.
Members of the Presidential Audit Team were, at the request of the state government, on assessment tour of the federal roads in Ogun State, with a view to encouraging co-operation on the rehabilitation of the roads.
“We are impressed with what we have seen,” remarked the head of the delegation, “and we are happy to inform the governor that the Federal Government has awarded the contract for the construction of Lagos/Ota highway, which is to start in 2 weeks’ time. We are scrapping and putting up a new road with emphasis on drainages in order to ensure durability of the road.”
The team also said palliative work had been approved for the Ikorodu/Sagamu road and urged the state government to partner with the Federal Government to ensure that funds invested on the roads were protected.
In his reaction, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, said “the people are not interested in which road is federal and which one belongs to the state. Road is one of the most important social amenities. The Abeokuta/Ibadan road is not good. A lot of lives are lost on the road on a daily basis. The Ikorodu/Sagamu road is a big shame; petrol tankers had to embark on strike because of the terrible state of the road. This does not augur well for the economic well-being of the country.”
The governor reiterated the need for Nigerians to develop the culture of maintenance. “Once you do not maintain a road, it collapses. If you go abroad, roads stand for up to 30 or 40 years but here they collapse within three years.”
The governor also urged the Federal Government to always award construction contracts to firms that “have the competence, capacity and capital” to carry out such a project.
“You don’t do try and error with roads that are of strategic importance to the national economy; they must be awarded to companies that are tested and have track records,” he said.
The governor commended the Federal Government for the visit and requested for prompt reimbursement of funds expended by Ogun State on federal roads.
In a chat with newsmen shortly after the parley, Engr. Ejike Egbemena commended the quality of work done even on roads where the state government used direct labour approach and called for partnership between the states and federal government to ensure that commercial activities that lead to encroachment of the right of way and result in blockage of drainages were curtailed.
He re-emphasised the commitment of the Federal Government to provide a good road network in Nigeria.
The governor, in company of the Secretary to the state government, Barr. Adeoluwa Taiwo and a host of commissioners, had earlier hosted the team to a ‘break-your-fast’ dinner.
It will be recalled that a few weeks ago in the print and electronic media, many Nigerians expressed profound gratitude to the new administration in Ogun State for its interventions on the two major federal highways in its territory -Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway and Lagos/Ibadan Expressway.
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