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Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Lagos/Ibadan Expressway ready in 8 weeks –Works Minister


Lagos/Ibadan Expressway ready in 8 weeks –Works Minister
By PETER ANOSIKE
The rehabilitation of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway by Messrs Julius Berger and Messrs Reynolds Construction Company Limited would be completed in the next eight weeks. This was revealed by the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen when he came to monitor the stage of work on the road yesterday. He also assured those who would be traveling for the yuletide that the road would be motorable before then.
The Minister expressed happiness with the level of deployment of machinery as well as the level of work that the companies had done within the last one week. According to him, Federal Government terminated the concession agreement on the rehabilitation /reconstruction of the Lagos–Ibadan dual carriageway to enable urgent rehabilitation works be carried out and reduce carnage as well as enhance safe traffic on the road.
He said that following government’s determination to realize the objective, the Federal Ministry of Works engaged the services of the two reputable contractors-Messrs Julius Berger and Reynolds Construction Company.
The minister said that Julius Berger was handling the Lagos-Shagamu interchange section while Messrs Reynolds Construction Company Limited was handling the section two which was Shagamu-Ibadan. He said the contractors were mandated to ensure that all failed sections of the road were recovered and made motorable especially during the yuletide season in line with the Federal Ministry of Works ‘Operation Safe Passage on our roads’.
According to him, both contractors had mobilized and were fully on ground and were expected to complete the contract on schedule.. His words,“I wish to assure Nigerians that the Federal Government is committed and determined to provide good motorable roads in all parts of the country, in consonance with the transformation agenda of Dr Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. Specifically, the Federal Government is irrevocably committed to the full construction of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway which is part of arterial route A 1, and also a major economic artery in Nigeria.”
The Minister said that after the rehabilitation of the expressway, contract would then be awarded for the main reconstruction of the road according to the design.. On the fate of Bi Courtney, he said that there was always an exit in every contract. According to him, even recently three road contracts were terminated in India because the contractors failed to meet up with the contractual requirements. He said that the contract was terminated and that after the emergency repair of the road, the contract for the total reconstruction would be advertized and interested contractors would bid for it.

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