THE Federal Government, Monday, said that it would construct and re-introduce toll gates on Lagos-Ibadan expressway. Speaking through the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolemenmen during the tour of North/South road from Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the government explained that toll taking was necessary to maintain the road.
He said that the funds realised from it would be used to “sustain and maintain this road so that it would not go back to the sorry state we met it and similar to others across the federation”.
Onolemenmen shortly after touring 52km Oyo-Ogbomoso road which is the section 11 of Ibadan-Ilorin road being handled by Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) said toll gates would be introduced as soon as the on-going reconstruction and expansion works are completed by both the RCC and Julius Berger.
He made more clarification on the termination of the contract on the Lagos-Ibadan road earlier concessioned to Bi-Courteny Highway Construction Services saying the company failed to meet up with the financial involvement needed to fix the road in record time.
“I assure you that by the first quarter of next year, you will see a major difference on Lagos-Ibadan expressway,” he said.
The site engineer of RCC, Yehoda Leve assured that the road would be completed by December 2013.
….Commences rehabilitation
Meantime, the Federal Government also yesterday reiterated its irrevocable commitment and determination to providing good motorable roads across the country with the transformation agenda of the present administration.
The Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolememen who disclosed this while inspecting the ongoing rehabilitation works on Lagos/Ibadan dual carriageway being handled by construction giant, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. said “specifically, the Federal Government is irrevocably committed to the full reconstruction of Lagos/Ibadan Expressway which is a major economic artery in Nigeria”.
Onolememen explained that the Federal Government decided to terminate the concession agreement on the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the ever busy expressway to enable urgent rehabilitation works to be carried out quickly.
According to him, “following the government’s determination to realise the stated objectives, the Federal Ministry of Works engaged the services of two reputable contractors who are Messrs Julius Berger Plc and Reynolds Construction Company Limited to carry out rehabilitation works on the road.