The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, says the delay in the reconstruction of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway was because the Federal Government is owing contractors handling the project.
He however assured that the ongoing Lagos-Badagry Expressway rehabilitation project was not forgotten but on the 2021 Sukuk funding priority list.
The minister gave the assurance in Lagos on Saturday during an inspection tour of road projects in the state.
He said that major drainage works were ongoing and progressing to upgrade the highway from its old status to ensure durable construction, saying that funding challenges were being resolved.
Fashola said, “Lagos-Badagry Expressway is the real challenge. Again it is funding. We are owing the contractor. That is why I said if we can expand the Sukuk this year, we are going to look at a few more roads to add to it.
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“If we succeed Lagos-Badagry Expressway is one of the top roads we are penciling down for the Sukuk in 2021. If that happens, then the contractor will do his work but I think it is important to help us communicate to the people who use that axis that they are not forgotten.
“Work has started. There was a time when there was no contractor there, so, there is now a contractor,’’ Fashola said.
He said that the road was now a superhighway due to development on the axis, hence the diligence to ensure quality and durable construction with adequate drainage channels.
Speaking on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the minister said that about 85km had been completed out of the 127km project being funded by Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund.
He added that the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway was recording accelerated construction because of the Sukuk funding.
