The Ogun State Government has begun rehabilitating the deteriorated section of the Sagamu-Ore-Benin Expressway near Sagamu, aimed at alleviating the ongoing traffic congestion faced by motorists.
Governor Dapo Abiodun, accompanied by members of the state executive council, made an unscheduled visit to the damaged area. He emphasized that this key road, connecting Lagos through Ogun State to the South-East and South-South regions, has been in a poor state, causing significant hardship for daily commuters.
He further explained that although the road’s reconstruction was awarded by previous administrations, the contractors completed work from the Benin end to the outskirts of Ijebu-Ode but left it unfinished at the interchange due to funding shortages.
“This is a federal road, and it is probably the most important road to Southern Nigeria because it evacuates traffic carrying goods and people from Lagos to Ogun State and to the South-East and South-South parts of the country; it is a major arterial road,” he said
“The reconstruction of this road was awarded several years ago by previous administrations. However, sadly, that reconstruction was started from the Benin end of this road.
“Sadly and curiously, from what we have been told, the budget was not sufficient to allow for the completion of this road to the Sagamu Interchange. It stopped short of reaching Ijebu-Ode, somewhere around the outskirts of Ijebu-Ode.
“What we are seeing today is what our masses are suffering from. In the last three to four days, this road was totally impassable because, for some reason, there is a drainage that goes underneath this road that is meant to drain water coming from a canal, that drainage is completely blocked, and that is the cause of this problem.”
Governor Abiodun stated that officials from the State Ministries of Works and Environment are currently working to create another drainage that would channel water away from the road, while the bad portion has been filled with hardcore to make the road motorable.
He disclosed that he has brought the condition of the road to the attention of the Minister of Works, who has promised to look into how to award a contract for its rehabilitation or at least provide palliative measures or some sort of intervention to salvage the situation.
Governor Abiodun also mentioned that he informed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu about the need for the Federal Government to address the state of the road.
“Let me confirm to you that last week Thursday, I also brought the issue of this road to the attention of Mr. President. For the avoidance of doubt, let nobody think that Ogun State has not been responsive.
“Knowing fully well that the Federal Government has many critical roads to deal with, and as a responsive state government, we deployed our Ministries of Works and Environment to this site. What they have done is identify the immediate cause; they found out there is a construction that has blocked the drain.
“I have requested from Mr. President that the Ministry of Works can immediately award this road to a reputable contractor, and I know they are working on it.
“However, Mr. President has also instructed me that if we do not get the attention as quickly as we want, the Ogun State government should go ahead and take ownership of this section and repair it,” he added.
Governor Dapo Abiodun vowed that if within the next two days there is no definitive action from the federal government to initiate substantial reconstruction work on the road, his administration would assume responsibility for the affected section and undertake a complete reconstruction effort.