President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that the Federal Government will complete and commission the Lagos – Ibadan and the Sagamu – Benin Expressway, before the end of 2022.
He made the pledge in Abeokuta , Ogun State yesterday during the commissioning of some roads and housing projects of the current administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun in the State .
The President said the lofty projects, the Gateway City Gate, the 42- kilometre , Sagamu Interchange- Abeokuta Road, the 14 kilometre Ijebu- ode – Epe Express way and two Housing Estates for low, medium and high income earners at Kobape and Oke- Mosan in Abeokuta respectively could not have materialised without the State Government’s huge investment and commitment to security of lives and property.
Buhari was impressed that the 14- km Ijebu- Ode-Mojoda- Epe Road commissioned by him has been reconstructed into a modern expressway by the State Government ,adding that the road would complement the Sagamu- Benin Expressway, which the Federal Government is currently constructing .
Buhari stated that it is a good development that the Ogun government has reconstructed the Sagamu – Interchange – Abeokuta Road and equipped it with street lights, saying that the road enjoys a direct linkage with the Lagos- – Ibadan Expressway, that the Federal Government is rebuilding and to be completed this year.
The President lauded the State Government on the quality and standard of its road projects and its creativity and the way , it has deployed resources to reconstruct and rehabilitate them.
Buhari said the fact that the two road projects he commissioned are Federal roads is a good example of constructive engagement, cooperation and collaboration between the State and Federal Government.
According to him, the roads also fit well into the government rail transportation master plan that connects Lagos, Nigeria’s Economic capital, to Kano, with Ogun State, having more rail stations, along the Lagos Ibadan rail corridor.
Responding to requests by the State government to give priority to the Lagos- Otta – Abeokuta and the Sango- Otta – Idi- Iroko Roads respectively, the President assured that the roads would receive government’s attention.
He disclosed that government would consider extending tax credit as funding option for the reconstruction of the roads as done for the 100km Sagamu – Interchange- Papalanto -Ilaro Road.
The President pledged to consider the approval of the reconstruction of Shagamu – Ogijo Road by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited on the tax credit scheme.
