FG Insists on Closing Lagos-Ibadan Road for Four Months

• FG Insists on Closing Lagos-Ibadan Road for Four Months

The Federal Government insisted on partially closing the Lagos-Ibadan road for four months.

Mr Adedamola Kuti, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, said the plan is to complete reconstruction of the road before December heavy traffic, adding that any further postponement would push back scheduled completion date.

“What we are doing is to finish the project before Christmas when more people will be travelling. We are not closing the road totally; we are providing routes where people will follow and once everyone is patient, everything will go well,” he said.

The reconstruction is expected to be completed by 2021, he stated.

While motorists and other road users commend government efforts, they are concerned about the impact of the partial closure on road users and worried officials may not be able to manage it effectively given the traffic of Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

The Ogun Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr Clement Oladele, however, said they do not need to be worried as there are adequate plans to ease the discomfort.

“Our plan is to make sure we reduce the discomfort that motorists are expected to face. It is a huge challenge to them and to us as enforcement agents as well but we are setting up camp in the area. We are bringing in personnel from other parts of Ogun State and some from Lagos State to help with traffic control,” he said.

Mr Wale Musa, the General Manager of LASTMA, also said the officials are ready to effectively control traffic as well as assist in the evacuation of faulty vehicles during the four months.

“Fifty per cent of vehicles that break down along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway are evacuated by our officials; so, traffic control won’t be a problem. Although a good portion of the road is in Ogun State and so by law, it is not under our jurisdiction; the part under Lagos will be handled effectively,” he added.