Federal approval delaying Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway reconstruction, says Ogun Govt

Ogun State Government is awaiting federal approval for the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway, Special Adviser to the Governor Kayode Akinmade said yesterday.

He said work would only begin on the road when the final approval for its concessioning has been granted by federal authorities.

Akinmade said in a statement that although there is a presidential approval for the concessioning, there is no extract from Federal Executive Council (FEC) coveying approval for concessioning.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, had announced in October last year after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Aso Villa, Abuja, that the Federal Government had finally concessioned the road to the Ogun State Government to reconstruct, following pleas by Governor Dapo Abiodun.

The reconstruction was to be carried out under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), with the involvement of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Akinmade pointed out that procedure for the concessioning is incomplete without FEC’s extract paper.

He said after the approval, FEC will issue an extract from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), transferring the road to the Ogun State Government.

The special adviser said that the state government was waiting anxiously for the FEC’s nod to proceed with the project.

He added that the FEC Extract is needed to raise funds for the project and also discuss with investors.

Commissioner for Works Ade Akinsanya said the state government has been providing palliatives to make the 70km road manageable for motorists.

He said:”Ogun State has been rehabilitating the road since 2019. We keep doing palliative works because the governor is always concerned about the suffering being experienced by the people. He remains concerned about the deplorable state of the road until he got what he wanted from the federal government.”

Akinsanya added: “With the transfer done now, we are happy and ready to immediately take over the project and turn around the fortunes of the road. It’s what we’ve been looking for, praying for since we came on board. We will take over immediately, subject to paperwork between us and the federal ministry.”