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Tag: Babatunde Fashola

  • Fashola Reopens Eko & Marine Bridges, Thanks Lagosians for Their Cooperation

    Fashola Reopens Eko & Marine Bridges, Thanks Lagosians for Their Cooperation

    Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, SAN, has directed that both Eko and Marine Bridges in Lagos State be reopened to traffic starting from Monday (October 19).

    The minister, who issued the directives over the weekend after completing urgently needed repair works on the bridges, thanked Lagosians for their resilience, patience, understanding and cooperation while sections of the both bridges were closed.

    Fashola’s approval for the reopening of the completed first phase of the repairs on the bridges by midnight of October 18 was sequel to the report by the contractor handling the projects, Messrs. Buildwell Plant & Equipment Industries Limited that the emergency repair works had been completed 100 per cent.

    The minister has also directed that members of the public should be well informed ahead of any restriction to traffic while work is ongoing on the second phase of the project.

    Fashola added that while the completed section of Eko Bridge (Lagos Island bound) should be reopened to traffic, work should commence immediately on Alaka bound side of the project.

    Giving further explanation on the next phase of repair works on the bridges, Director Highways (Bridges & Designs) in the ministry, Emmanuel Adeoye, said work was taking off without the need for either partial or complete closure of the bridges.

    He, however, said the public would be informed adequately should there be any need for either partial or complete closure.

    The 1,350-metre Eko Bridge, built in phases between 1965 and 1975, links Lagos Island to Mainland. It was closed to traffic in March this year in order to replace faulty joints and bearings. But, as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown, actual repair works commenced in the first week of June.

    For Marine Bridge, work commenced in May on the first of the three phases in which repair works on the bridge was divided. The repairs on the bridge, which is part of a network of complex bridges with several loops taking traffic in and out of Apapa area of Lagos, included jacketing and skin repairs of the piers, lifting the bridge section deck in order to change the electrometric bearing, milling and placing a new wearing course of asphalt among others.

    Essentially, the repair works on Eko and Marine Bridges were part of the ongoing Federal Government’s Bridge Maintenance Programme which involves the repairs and rehabilitation of over 37 bridges nationwide with a substantial number already completed, while others are at different stages of completion, said a statement by the ministry’s Director of Press and Publicity, Boade Akinola.

    Idowu Sowunmi

  • Citizen to Ogun Gov: Disclose Detailed Information about Concession of Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway within Seven Days or…

    Citizen to Ogun Gov: Disclose Detailed Information about Concession of Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway within Seven Days or…

    Relying on the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, an Ogun State indigene, Mr. Adetilewa Adetomiwa, has given the Governor Dapo Abiodun administration a seven-day ultimatum to disclose detailed information about the concession of Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway or legal proceedings would be initiated against the state government.

    Adetomiwa, in two separate letters signed by his lawyer, Inibehe Effiong Esq., sought to know the detailed information about the concession and subsequently applied for a copy of the 2020 Ogun State Budget to know budgetary provisions, if any, for the road.

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    It would be recalled that Abiodun had earlier this year flagged off the construction of the 14-kilometre Ijebu-Ode-Ikoto to Epe in Lagos State.

    Image of the FOI Letter written to the Government
    Images of the FOI Letter written to the  Federal Ministry of Works and Ogun State Government

    The road was awarded to Craneburg Construction by the Abiodun administration under a public-private partnership arrangement – Build, Operate and Transfer programme, with an inclusion of toll plazas indicating that tolls would be collected for the maintenance of the road.

    “We are Solicitors and Counsel to Mr. Adetilewa Adetomiwa, an indigene
    of Ogun State whose address is GRA Ijebu-Ode (hereinafter referred to as
    “Our Client”).

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    “Our Client is a good governance advocate and a human rights activist on whose behalf and instructions we write to you.

    “Pursuant to Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, we hereby apply for a detailed information and records on the concession of Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway.

    “TAKE NOTICE that if you fail, refuse or neglect to furnish us with the said
    information and records as requested by Our Client within Seven (7) days of
    receipt of this application, we have the instructions of Our Client to
    commence legal proceedings against you to compel you to comply,” read Adetomiwa’s letter to Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure was dated September 17, 2020.

    His second letter to Ogun State Commissioner for Budget and Planning dated September 17, 2020 read thus: “We are Solicitors to Mr. Adetilewa Adetomiwa, an indigene of Ogun State whose address is GRA Ijebu-Ode (hereinafter referred to as “Our Client”) on whose behalf and instructions we write to you.

    “Our Client is a good governance advocate and a human rights activist.

    “Pursuant to Section 1 of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, we hereby apply for a copy of the 2020 Ogun State Budget.

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    “TAKE NOTICE that if you fail, refuse or neglect to furnish us with the said 2020 Budget as requested by Our Client within Seven (7) days of receipt of this application, we have the instructions of Our Client to commence legal
    proceedings against you to compel you to comply.”

    The construction of Ijebu-Ode-Epe Expressway, which had since commenced, would be a dual-carriage road with 10 lanes – four lanes on each side with one pull-out section, while the toll plaza consists of 14 lanes for easy payment of tolls.

    Abiodun, while speaking at the flag-off, had said the construction, which was meant to connect Epe-Ajah-Victoria Island in Lagos State, would provide a perfect alternative to ever busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

    Meanwhile, in a chat with Echotitbits, Mr. Adetilewa Adetomiwa reiterated that he was prompted to take this action based on some unconfirmed rumors of contract inflation trailing the concession which says the cost of the road is 3.6B per KM.

    Idowu Sowunmi

  • Fashola Inspects Ongoing Repair Works on Third Mainland Bridge

    Fashola Inspects Ongoing Repair Works on Third Mainland Bridge

    Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, Tuesday said the on-going repair works on Third Mainland Bridge and other Federal Government projects in Lagos State were borne out of a long years of neglect by successive governments in Nigeria.

    Speaking while inspecting repair works on Third Mainland Bridge on Day Four of the partial closure of the bridge, the minister said he’s at the site to ascertain the status of the work done and the impact of the partial closure on traffic movement.

    Accompanied by Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Frederic Oladeinde; Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye; her counterpart in Transportation, Toyin Fayinka; South-west Federal Controller of Works, Adedamola Kuti; and other top government officials, Fashola noted that his visit was to lend support to his team of engineers and other crew, who had been on ground for about two weeks in preparation for the repair works.

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    He added that his men had concluded their scientific laboratory works in Abuja before coming to Lagos for practical fieldwork to fix the worn out expansion joints and other maintenance works required to keep the 11.8 kilometre bridge in good shape.

    “As you would have noticed, Eko Bridge is also undergoing repairs, likewise, Apapa, Oworonshoki, Apongbon.

    “We just completed Liverpool Bridge, Gbagada-Oworonshoki is on-going and many other bridges. This is as a result of many years of not working or maintaining them by successive governments.

    “This government is, therefore, faced with the reality of repairing and maintaining all these bridges and other federal projects across the country for the safety and benefit of our people.

    “I want to thank you sincerely for your level of cooperation so far, while I assure you that we will continue to collaborate to ensure there is less pressure on commuters as a result of this work,” Fashola said.

    The minister outlined other bridges with renovation work either completed or on-going as: Marine Bridge (Apapa); Kara Bridge (Lagos-Ibadan Expressway); Falomo Bridge (Lagos Island); Ojuelegba; Eko Bridge; Apongbon; and Obalende among others.

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    While expressing happiness that the impact of the partial closure was not much on vehicular movement when he and his team inspected vehicular movement from Oworonshoki in-bound Lagos to Adekunle and Adeniji Adele end of Third Mainland Bridge, Fashola, a former Lagos State governor, ordered operatives of the Federal Safety Corps (FRSC), and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to immediately move away from the main bridge where construction work was currently ongoing to the alternative route areas where there’s likely to be congestion, especially during the peak hours.

    Fashola commended the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led Lagos State Government for effectively managing the situation through the rehabilitation of various alternative routes and provision of adequate traffic management officials.

    He urged Lagosians to be calm as the Federal Government would work hard and collaborate with the Sanwo-Olu administration to ensure that the repair work does not extend beyond its stipulated period.

    Earlier, Oladeinde, while briefing the minister on the traffic management strategy adopted to ensure free vehicular movement, disclosed that about 650 LASTMA personnel have been deployed by his ministry to support about 250 FRSC men on ground to direct traffic and ensure less congestion while the construction works last.

    Oladeinde added that since just about 25 per cent of Third Mainland Bridge users are going to be affected, the state government, through the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, has done palliative work to ensure alternative routes are accessible to ease congestion while the government has increased the BRT fleet plying Lagos Island corridor.

    The commissioner also advised Lagosians to make use of the waterways by plying the various jetties in the metropolis to reduce travel time, noting that the state government in consideration of the likely increase in the use of water routes has provided improved safety guidelines and measures for ferry operators.

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    While allaying the fears of residents over the partial closure of the bridge, the commissioner urged road users to cooperate with LASTMA and FRSC on the laid down traffic directives to minimise inconvenience in movement and ensure free flow of traffic.

    Also speaking, Adeyoye reaffirmed that palliative works on several alternative routes provided for motorists have been completed, assuring that her ministry would keep on monitoring the work progress to identify other areas where rehabilitation works are necessary.

    Idowu Sowunmi

  • FG, Lagos Seek Motorists’ Cooperation Ahead of Six-month Partial Closure of Third Mainland Bridge for Repair from July 24

    FG, Lagos Seek Motorists’ Cooperation Ahead of Six-month Partial Closure of Third Mainland Bridge for Repair from July 24

    Ahead of six-month partial closure of Third Mainland Bridge for maintenance work from July 24, the Federal Government and Lagos State Government have appealed to motorists and Lagosians to cooperate with government officials and appropriate agencies during this operation.

    Speaking during a press conference jointly addressed by the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olukayode Popoola; Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Frederic Oladeinde; and Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works, Aramide Adeyoye; on Tuesday at Alausa in Ikeja, these officials assured Lagosians that necessary measures would be put in place to reduce gridlocks during partial closure of the bridge.

    To Popoola, there would be diversion of traffic in two phases during the partial closure of the bridge between July 24, 2020 and January 24, 2021.

    He said the Phase One of the diversion, which would last for three months for repairs of the Oworonsoki bound lane of Third Mainland Bridge, would be for morning traffic from 12am to 1pm from Oworonshoki to Lagos Island on the Lagos Island bound lane, while the afternoon traffic from 1pm to 12am would be from Lagos Island to Oworonsoki on the Lagos Island bound lane.

    The Federal Controller of Works added that the Phase Two of the diversion, which would last another three months for repairs of the Lagos Island bound lane of Third Mainland Bridge, would be for morning traffic from 12am to 1pm from Oworonsoki to Lagos Island on the Oworonsoki bound lane, while the afternoon traffic from 1pm to 12am would be from Lagos Island to Oworonsoki on the Oworonsoki bound lane.

    Popoola, while speaking on the inconveniences the maintenance of the bridge might cause motorists, said the Federal Government and Lagos State Government would work with appropriate agencies for traffic control to direct and help traffic movement in the affected areas and alternative routes.

    “Motorists are advised to also ply these alternative routes: First, from Carter Bridge through Iddo through Oyingbo to join Adekunle ramp inward Oworonsoki. Secondly, from Ijora Olopa through Western Avenue to Ikorodu Road,” he said.

    On his part, Oladeinde said priority would be given to those driving from Mainland to the Island in morning and afternoon to use Third Mainland Bridge, while those driving against traffic would use the alternative routes.

    The commissioner assured motorists that Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) would work with Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in all the alternative routes to ensure that motorists have a smooth journey during the partial closure of the bridge.

    Oladeinde, while stressing the need for reduction of vehicles on the road during the partial closure of the bridge, advised that those who don’t have any genuine reason to be on the road to stay at home.

    He said there would be increase in number of public vehicles for people to leave their vehicles at home to make the road less congested, adding that the public vehicles would be available and affordable for road users.

    According to him, “If you don’t have to travel, I will advise that you stay at home, so that we can minimise the number of vehicles on the road.

    “If you can work at home, please do. But if you can’t, we will be on the road for you to get to your destination as quickly as possible.”

    The commissioner also advised people to use alternative transport such as ferries, assuring that there would be increase in number of fleets by Lagos Ferry Services in the morning for people from Ikorodu and Mile 2 as alternative transportation.

    Also speaking, Adeyoye appreciated the Federal Government for bringing the repair of Third Mainland Bridge on board.

    She said Lagos State Government has commenced necessary preparatory works on all the alternative routes in the state to make them motorable for the commuters.

    Adeyoye said the state would do its best within two weeks to work on all the roads that may likely cause gridlocks to be free of potholes.

    She also warned trucks and vehicles that are not road worthy or serviceable to stay away from Lagos roads.

    Idowu Sowunmi