Gridlock: Lekki will not become another Apapa, Gov’s aide assures
The Lagos State Government has assured that Lekki will not turn out to be another gridlock-prone area like Apapa in the future.
Mr. Olufemi Daramola, Special Adviser (SA) to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Infrastructure, gave the assurance on Friday during the 2024 Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
The ministerial briefings, which began on April 23, will run until May 28 as part of activities lined up to commemorate Sanwo-Olu’s first year in office for the second term.
“With the rapid development of infrastructure at the Lekki Free Trade Zone and its environs, the government will ensure the provision of adequate infrastructure to ensure that Lekki does not turn out to be another gridlock-prone area like Apapa in the future,” he said.
He said the focus on Lekki in terms of infrastructural development was to ensure that it was prepared for the influx of activities that would take place in the near future.
“This administration is not selective; we're, however, strategic. We have the Deep Sea Port, Dangote Refinery, and the Airport. There’s a need for major infrastructure to be put in place.
“We need to be proactive; we don’t want to have another Apapa; we need to find alternative routes to reduce travel time on that road. So, this is not a matter of grade A or grade B locations.
“We have to move at a fast pace because of all the ongoing projects in this axis. This is not to say other areas are neglected.
“We strike a balance; every resident of Lagos State deserves the best,” he said.
Daramola said that projects were supervised round-the-clock across the state as part of the governor’s vision of making Lagos a Mega State through a consistent project development drive.
He said this was aimed at positioning the State as an economic destination with functional infrastructure.
“Some of the projects ongoing to achieve such feats include the Lagos Lagoon Highway, the 7th axial road, the construction of Taiwo Street by China Town, Ojota, the construction of the Shasha Link bridge part of Union Road, Shomorin, Mortune Avenue, Adama Dania/Mohammed, and behind Airport Roads.
“Others are the construction of Ayetoro, Ashipa, the Parent's Choice Ayobo-Igando Link Bridge, Alhaji Shekoni Street, and the construction of Ijegun-Ijeagemo Road to link LASU Iba Road.
“Also, the construction of the Okota/Apapa-Oshodi Motorway [Lord’s Chosen Road with link bridge], the construction of the Awodi-Ora, and the and the Olodi road with link bridge, among others.
“Since the inception of Gov. Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat, the Public Works Corporation has intervened in a total of 2,702 roads, covering approximately 431.32 km using an average carriageway width of 7.3m,” Daramola said.
He said he and his team had successfully completed all inherited projects and embarked on new strategic projects that would stand the test of time in spite of the global economic downturn.
“Furthermore, this administration has continued to deliberately invest in infrastructure as a critical development driver of the state’s economy, providing hundreds of jobs for residents as well as bringing immediate and impactful succour to commuters,” Daramola said.
He announced the completion of 172 roads, translating to 177.93 km, and the further execution of 253 projects, which, on completion, would translate to 298.22km at the end of the administration, as a tall stride that would give Lagosians true dividends of democracy.
“It is also important to note that we have completed the 2.510 km bridge (2510 m), while the 3.13km (3132 m) is currently ongoing in different parts of the state, he said.
Similarly, the Special Assistant on Works, Dr. Oluyinka Adekunle, noted that during the inauguration of the Sanwo-Olu-led administration, the government promised to complete all inherited projects and embark on new ones.
He said that was the bedrock of the ‘T.H.E.M.E.S. Plus Agenda.
“Our government has continued to deliberately invest in building infrastructure as one of the platforms used for discharging the social contract we signed with Lagosians.
“Through our projects, we have continuously provided jobs for hundreds of our people and provided impactful economic succour to those living in the state.
“We are also equally aware of the attendant impact of building resilient infrastructure, which will not only generate a strong economic base for the productivity of our people but will also increase employment and foster innovation, he said.
According to him, one of the important methods adopted to bridge the infrastructure gap in the state is to deliberately improve both the maintenance and management of existing infrastructure assets in a way that would preserve the quality of the assets.
“To achieve this, we have put in place policies and structures for the renovation and management of the existing portfolio of our infrastructure assets.
“Government emphasises a two-pronged approach by ensuring routine maintenance of existing assets to ensure that infrastructure operates as initially intended in a long-lasting manner and the continuous rehabilitation and upgrade of new iconic infrastructure, he said.
