Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: Federal Ministry of Works

  • Ministry of Works Effects 2day Total Shutdown of Third Mainland Bridge

    Ministry of Works Effects 2day Total Shutdown of Third Mainland Bridge

    The Federal Government has announced that the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos will be totally shutdown for two days beginning from midnight on Friday to midnight on Sunday in order to carry out special repair works on the 11.8km platform.

    The shutdown of the very busy bridge was made known by the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr Olukayode Popoola, who in a statement said that the construction had reached a stage where there should not be any form of movement or vibration on the bridge for concrete casting, hence the closure.

    “The first total closure of the section of the bridge between Adekunle and Adeniji Adele will be from midnight of Friday, 9th October 2020 to midnight of Sunday, 11th October 2020 to allow the contractor complete the first stage of casting works.

    “The contractor, Messrs Borini Prono & Co. (Nig.) Ltd, is nearing completion of works on the closed section of Third Mainland Bridge and requires the total closure of both bounds of the bridge between Adeniji Adele and Adekunle (i.e. in addition to the closed bound of the bridge, the other bound from Adekunle to Adeniji Adele will also be closed) to complete work.

    “The total closure of this section of the bridge is to ensure that there is no vibration on the bridge during the casting in-place of the newly installed expansion joints. This is to allow for the setting of the special concrete, which allows the concrete to achieve its required compressive strength.

    “Due to the number of expansion joints to be cast on the closed section of the bridge and the traffic situation in Lagos State, especially during the weekdays; the casting of the expansion joints will be in two stages to ensure that the total closure is only at the weekends when there is less traffic plying the route”, Popoola said.

    As part of plan to ensure that there is a free flow of traffic on alternative routes, the controller said that adequate traffic management officials would be deployed to man the roads.

    Expressing regret at regret at any inconvenience the closure might cause, Popoola added that the second total closure of the section of the bridge between Adekunle and Adeniji Adele would be communicated at a later date.

    “The section of the bridge between Adekunle and Iyana – Oworo will still remain open, and traffic can move from Ebute-Metta/ Adekunle to Iyana – Oworo and vice – versa,” he said.

    The Federal Ministry of Works had on July 14 effected a partial shutdown of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos for series of repairs. The repair is expected to last for six months with the construction divided into two phases of three months on each carriageway, starting with the Oworonsoki bound carriageway.

    The Guardian reported that traffic was partially diverted on a stretch of 3.5km where construction is ongoing between Adeniji Adeniji Ramp and Ebute Meta, while different time belts were allotted for traffic diversions on the bridge.

  • 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

  • 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