The Ogun State Government has applauded the Federal Government for approving its plan to take over the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Road and transform it into a world-class carriageway.
The road is Trunk A and belongs to the Federal Government, the Federal Executive Council gave the Ogun government a nod to fix and toll the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
IDAN NEWS reported that the Minister of Works, David Umahi, while commenting on the new federal government position after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Aso Villa, Abuja on Monday, said there are conditions to be met while requesting for an approval to build a federal road.
โthey must have to use the Federal Ministry of Works standard designsโ Umahi said.
However, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya while briefing reporters in Abeokuta, declared that the state is ready to take on the project and end the many years of suffering of her people.
He also commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his resilience in pursuit of the approval, recalling that the struggle to get approval from the federal government started in 2019.
The commissioner stated that the decision to allow Ogun to take over the project is the best thing that can happen to the people of the state and other users of the road.
โWith the transfer done now, we are happy and ready to immediately take over the project and turn around the fortunes of the road. Itโs what weโve been looking for, and praying for since we came on board. We will take over immediately, subject to paperwork between us and the federal ministry,โ he said.
โSeverally, Governor Abiodun and Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State wrote the presidency and the Federal Works Ministry seeking the handover of among other roads, the Lagos-Sango Ota-Abeokuta Road, Ikorodu-Ogijo-Sagamu road and Sagamu-Ijebu Ode-Benin road.
โBut the response then was that all the roads were under contract at the time, so nothing happened. But our governor, determined to see an end to the hardship being experienced by our people, did not give up until he was able to seal the deal on Sunday.โ
Explaining that the length of the road is roughly 70km with Ogun having about 61km and Lagos State, 9km, Akinsanya said that even while waiting for the approval, the state government kept doing all it could to make the road manageable for motorists.
