From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has disclosed that the Federal Government is concluding plans to construct a super highway that will enable motorists to travel from Lagos to Abuja in four hours.
Umahi, who disclosed this on Thursday during a courtesy visit to the Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, as part of his working visit to the southwest, said that the highway which would tear off with the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge would take off along in Epe in Lagos State.
The minister, however, informed the governor that majority of the super highway that would be constructed under the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) arrangement would pass through Ogun State.
He noted further that work would begin on the construction of the highway in the next two months, pointing out that the project would interconnect states to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Umahi said that the Federal Government would review roads contracts in Ogun State. The minister who was accompanied by top officials of the Federal Ministry of Works, said the contract review would enable the state government participate in the construction of major highways in the state.
He explained that the visit would afford him the oppourtunity to have more information on the state of federal roads in the state.
Umahi promised that the President Bola Tinubu-led administration would not leave any federal road unattended, saying it’s a new beginning in critical infrastructure development.
“We will review the contracts of all federal roads in Ogun to enable government in both state and federal to take necessary steps to ensure no road is left unattended,” he said.
He, however, expressed his ministry’s resolve to partner with all relevant stakeholders in getting works done.
“The era of bureaucracy is gone. Tinubu’s government is ready to partner with stakeholders on critical infrastructural development,” he added.
The minister expressed the readiness of the Federal Government to jointly rehabilitate the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta expressway with the Ogun State government.
He acknowledged the frustration experienced by Ogun and Lagos states during the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to get the road done, declaring that the period of bureaucracy in road construction in the country is over.
He said: “Let me say something about the frustration you had while you and the Lagos State government wrote to take over the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road. Let me announce to you that it falls under our new programme, HDMI, which is the High Way Development Management Initiative. It is a public-private partnership programme.
“So, on this Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road, I want us to work together, we’ve done 30% of the work. You can own 60%, we own 40% and you can do your portion of the 60%. You can give it to a contractor of your choice.
“I don’t believe in bureaucracy; we cannot reset the economy with the type of bureaucracy we have.
“If I get your request on this by WhatsApp, I will respond to you immediately. We will handle it under our HDMI”.
Umahi, however, commended the Ogun State Government for its commitment to repairing roads in its domain, whether state or federal.
Responding, Governor Abiodun said federal roads in the state needed urgent attention, stressing that the deplorable state of the roads had continued to hinder socioeconomic development.
He recalled what he and his colleague in Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu went through getting the Federal Government’s permission to take over the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway.
Abiodun said that despite meeting some of the requirements by the Federal Government, the two states were frustrated, leading to further deterioration of the road.
Abiodun commended the Federal Government for bringing a new lease of life into the way and manner that approvals are given for road construction, expressing the hope that the FG would help to fast-track the reconstruction of the Sagamu end of the Sagamu-Ore road.