Motorists plying Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to expedite action on the project awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria and Reynolds Construction Company Limited (RCC) at a sum of N167 billion, equivalent to $838,986,290 with a tentative delivery date of 2021.
The call followed agonizing traffic commuters and motorists experience daily, occasioned by slow pace of work on the expressway, considered as one of the busiest in West Africa.
Apart from the man-hours spent, many have lost their lives and belongings to robbers, who capitalize on the perennial gridlock to wreak havoc on motorists and residents along the route.
Residents attributed regular accidents on the road and the attendant traffic to the slow pace of work.
A commercial motorist, Onile Abiola, said the slow movement is often caused by rainwater puddles in potholes and ditches, immediately after the narrowed portion of the Long bridge.
Although the contractor always carries out palliative works to clear the puddles, he said the government’s inability to provide an alternative route for motorists has remained a major snag on the contract.
Yesterday, a trailer heading to Ogun State was involved in an accident, which caused heavy traffic for commuters along the road.
The truck practically blocked the entire road leaving a little space for passage, while road repairs were ongoing along OPIC in the other lane of the expressway.
It was a standstill experience for commuters as many vehicles were seen plying the earth road off the expressway, while a resident posted to a platform: “If you don’t have anything serious to do on the road today, pls stay back at home oo.”
The Guardian learnt that the trailer driver lost control, rammed into the barricade and almost fell off the Kara Bridge.
Another motorist, Emmanuel Onah, told The Guardian, yesterday, that even the available earth road on both sides of the long bridge, which the contractor could capitalize on to create an alternative route, was deliberately abandoned.
According to him, there was even a time when a big gully was created on the earth road to dissuade motorists from using it.
Recently, a group of boys dug a tunnel under the Long bridge to enable motorists and commercial drivers to beat traffic on the road.
Road users drive through the tunnel, which was at the beginning of the bridge inward Lagos.
With the tunnel, motorists connected to an untarred road at the Warewa area and drove against traffic towards Berger, Lagos State.
However, there was a pumping machine and a pipe, which a commercial bus driver said, was used to drain off the water to ease the movement of vehicles.
The touts were seen directing motorists into the tunnel while also demanding money before granting them passage.
A motorist, Ajiboye Emmanuel stressed the need for the government to compel the contractor to quicken the process.
He said motorists are always apprehensive because of the activities of robbers on the Expressway.
Emmanuel recalled a recent incident when brave road users disrupted the activities of four robbery suspects by pelting them with rocks.
The incident occurred on Long Bridge, inward Lagos State, opposite Mikano/Karameh city, at about 5:55a.m., when most motorists hit the road to beat the perennial traffic.
Contacted, an official of Julius Berger, said the firm is doing its best within prevailing circumstances.
According to the official, part of the effort is carrying out some palliatives on bad spots to ease movement as well as quickening the construction process.
The official reaffirmed commitment to complete the project before the end of the year. (Guardian)