Motorists plying the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Saturday urged the Federal Government to begin reconstruction to reduce incessant carnage and gridlock on the highway.
The Tide recalls that the Minister for Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, had said last year that reconstruction of the highway would begin in 2013.
An Ibadan-based business woman, Mrs Bunmi Akerele, told newsmen that rehabilitation of the highway was not what was required, but its reconstruction.
“About two years ago, the Ibadan end of the highway was rehabilitated, but after some time it was again in a state of disrepair.
“The Federal Government late last year awarded a contract for its rehabilitation, but I did not see anything new in it because during the rainy season, the road will go bad again,” she said.
A resident of Ibafo in Ogun Mr Franklin Nwawulu, told reporters that the emergency repair work done on the highway did not extend to the Berger Bridge area.
“The job done is below expectation because there are still potholes on the road, especially between the Berger Bridge and the Arepo area.
“As you drive towards the long bridge, all the way to Fagbems Filling Station, the road has several potholes.
“That is the problem with continuous patching of a road that takes heavy duty trucks that are beyond the capacity it was built to take.
“The Federal Government should begin the reconstruction they promised Nigerians,” he said.
A commercial bus driver, Mr Jude Nwaogbeni, who plies the LagosSagamu route, however, commended government for the emergency repair work.
“Since the Federal Government repaired the road during December for the Christmas, traffic congestion has reduced considerably, unlike before,” he said.
A resident of Arepo, Mr Yemi Ogundimu, implored the Federal Government to rehabilitate the span of the road between Arepo and the Berger Bridge in Ogun, before the reconstruction of the highway.
Responding, Mr Joshua Popoola, a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Works, told The Tide source that the Minister of Works was concerned about the state of the highway.
“It is something that disturbs his mind and he wants that contract awarded as soon as possible,” he said.
Popoola said that procedure for the award of the contract was ongoing and that it would soon be awarded.
He said that the project was at the planning stage in the ministry and was going through due process.
The director said that the planning included the presentation of designs and tenders for the project by various construction firms.