As construction work continues on the Abeokuta-Ifo-Sango-Ota-Lagos expressway, motorists and commuters have expressed satisfaction with the pace and quality of work done so far on the ever-busy road. It will be recalled that the state governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on the 23rd of August last year, flagged off the reconstruction of the expressway with an 18-month completion timeline.
Five gangs are working simultaneously at Olomore, Midgad/Metroxide, Papanlanto Junction, Owode, and the Toll Gate axis, where earthwork, stone base, and drainage have been completed while asphalt is being laid. The failed portions at Brewery, Obada, and Itori Junction up to Lafarge Cement Factory, Ewekoro have been repaired and opened for motorists.
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The Olu of Itori, Oba Abdul Fatai Akorede Akamo, while fielding questions from newsmen, noted that the road had been in deplorable condition for a long time due to abandonment by both the federal and previous state governments. He said: “This road has been abandoned for so many years, and I thank God that Governor Dapo Abiodun took the bull by the horns and committed to doing the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road.
“Though it is a federal road, Governor Abiodun said he would complete the road, and he has started it. Our governor is a man of his word, and his word is his bond. “I have never witnessed such a governor in the state since my enthronement who says something and achieves it. We will tell our stories by ourselves; the giant stride of the governor on this road is still unbelievable.
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“Governor Dapo Abiodun is a man of the people; he feels the people’s pain, and the governor is doing fine because he has someone at his back. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been our governor’s pillar of support. What he met on the ground when he became the governor was so sad, but today, we thank God that God has revealed Himself,” the royal father added.
A transporter, Opeyemi Akindele, who plies the Abeokuta-Papalanto route, commended the contractor handling the project for a job well done, adding that with the construction, the rate of accidents has reduced, while traffic bottlenecks are now a thing of the past.
Mr Akindele said: “What I can say about this road is that we drove one-way because the road was in terrible condition before now. Some portions of this road used to be like swimming pools, but the current government of Governor Dapo Abiodun has done very well by fixing this road.
“There have been some governors before Governor Abiodun who did not do anything on this road, but Governor Abiodun is working on it now. We can’t say he is not doing anything; he is doing very well with this road.
“The movement of vehicles along this axis is now very smooth compared to before. In the past, we used to have constant breakdowns of our vehicles because of the state of the road,” he added. He, however, called for the provision of a trailer park between Papalanto Junction and Lafarge Cement Plant so that articulated vehicles would not block the road.
Also speaking on the current state of the road, a resident of Papalanto, Ololade Anjolaoluwa, said: “The road was very bad before now; the traffic around here was huge in the past, but now, we thank God that the administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun has come to our aid.”
Another resident, Akande Michael, appreciated the current state of the road, calling on the contractor to redouble their efforts and deliver the job on time. “There are a lot of changes on this road, even though work is still ongoing. I can testify that accidents have ceased to happen on this road because the Ogun State Government commenced reconstruction. We are very happy and appreciate the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration. “From Itori to Papalanto, they are doing a fantastic job there, and I commend them,” he added.
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