The Ogun State Government has praised the Federal Government for approving its plan to take over the repair and transformation of the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Road into a world-class highway.
Despite the fact that the road is Trunk A and belongs to the Federal Government, the Federal Executive Council granted permission to the Ogun government to repair and toll the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway.
Briefing reporters in Abeokuta on Monday, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Ade Akinsanya declared that the state is ready to take on the project and end the many years of suffering of her people.
He also commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for his resilience in pursuit of the approval, recalling that the struggle to get approval from the federal government started in 2019.
The commissioner stated that the decision to allow Ogun to take over the project is the best thing that can happen to the people of the state and other users of the road.
“With the transfer done now, we are happy and ready to immediately take over the project and turn around the fortunes of the road. It’s what we’ve been looking for, and praying for since we came on board. We will take over immediately, subject to paper works between us and the federal ministry,” he said.
“Severally, Governor Abiodun and Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State wrote the presidency and the Federal Works Ministry seeking the handover of among other roads, the Lagos-Sango Ota-Abeokuta Road, Ikorodu-Ogijo-Sagamu road and Sagamu-Ijebu Ode-Benin road.
“But the response then was that all the roads were under contract at the time, so nothing happened. But our governor, determined to see an end to the hardship being experienced by our people, did not give up until he was able to seal the deal on Sunday.”
Explaining that the length of the road is roughly 70km with Ogun having about 61km and Lagos State, 9km, Akinsanya said that even while waiting for the approval, the state government kept doing all it could to make the road manageable for motorists.