FG Set to Complete Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway with N56.7bn

Rasaq AbdulKareem/

The Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway construction is receiving additional N22billion breath of life from the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The revised contract was approved by the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday.

The move, which will raise the total cost of the project to N56.701billion, was announced by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola.

Fashola broke the news to State House correspondents at the end of a meeting of the council presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Fashola explained that the 81km road was first awarded in 2000 but was left uncompleted.
He said, “This administration, in trying to move this contractor to site, started the revision of the rate.
“So, the revised rate was brought to council today and a revision of N22billion was approved for the 81-kilometre road, bringing the total contract price to N56.701bn.”
The minister said that the council also approved the contract for the 44.625km Baban Lamba-Sharam Road in Plateau State for N19.392billion.
He added that the council approved the construction of Section IV of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Road, between Abia and Port Harcourt.
He said, “We have a contractor there but we needed to change the design because of the storm water drainage needs and the high water tables there so that the road does not fail.
“So, that requires a revision of the scope of work to include retaining sidelines and also drainage facilities in the sum of N6.309billion.”
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, said that the council approved the dredging of the Escravos and the Warri Seaport, as well as the replacement of the bad navigational aids at the cost of N13billion.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, said that the council was briefed on the activities of the Ministry of Women Affairs as well as the Ministry of Information and Culture.
He added that issues bordering on efforts on the rescue of the Chibok and Dapchi girls formed part of the presentation of the Ministry of Women Affairs.
Shehu said that at the end of the presentation by the Ministry of Information and Culture, the council decided to set up an inter-ministerial committee to fashion out a plan for communications.
According to him, the committee would advise government on how policies and programmes could be better disseminated.
“The ministers on the committee are Finance, Agriculture, Budget and National Planning, Power, Works and Housing, Transportation, Communications, Information and Culture, Petroleum and Niger Delta Affairs,” he said.
The council was also allegedly approved the establishment of the Nigerian Army University in Biu, Borno State.
The Ministry of Water Resources presented a memo highlighting the crisis facing water and sanitisation in the country and the need for government to take action.
The presentation highlighted the fact that urban water supply is regressing, access to improve sanitation has also decreased over time and the nation has not been able to meet the Millennium Development Goals.
It observed that spending on water sector has declined by .7 per cent to .72 per cent of the GDP in 2010.
For the Ministry of Interior, the council approved the contract for the completion of two faculty buildings and Cadet Mess and Cafeteria for Police Academy in Kano.