Downpour: Lagos-Ibadan Expressway April 30 delivery suffers setback

Construction on three of the 43.6km of Section One of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway reconstruction/rehabilitation Project could not be completed as scheduled due to heavy rainfall and other factors.

The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mr Umar Bakare, made the disclosure on Saturday night in a telephone interview with our correspondent.

He said although the contractor had been working hard to meet the April 30 delivery deadline, construction on three kilometres around Otedola Bridge had yet to be done.

He said that apart from heavy rainfall that slowed down construction around the portion, high vehicular and human traffic also impacted the project negatively.

He said that the remaining construction was on the portion around Otedola Bridge and before Berger Bridge.

According to the controller, the three kilometres are for both lanes – one and half kilometres on each bound.

The controller, however, gave the assurance that both lanes from Berger to Sagamu Interchange would be totally opened to traffic on Sunday (April 30th).

“Berger to Sagamu Interchange will be fully opened to traffic tomorrow.
“The work around OPIC area will be fully completed today, meaning: the whole stretch from Berger to Sagamu will be finally opened to traffic tomorrow.

“We will complete the work on the OPIC Section tonight,” he told our correspondent.

Bakare said that there were reasons certain construction could not be done during downpours.

He said that, with good weather, contractors would complete the work soon.

Our correspondent reports that the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, had on April 8, assured Nigerians that the entire main carriageway of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway would be delivered on April 30th.