Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday unveiled the long-awaited regional road, a strategic road infrastructure proposed in the Lekki-Epe master plan to decongest gridlocks in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area.
After unveiling the road, Sanwo-Olu warned that he would sanction property developers and state officials who undermined the state’s planning approvals and encroached the alignments of the regional road.
He gave the warning at the ground-breaking of the road, describing it as a manifestation of his commitment to improving socio-economic activities on the Lekki-Epe axis by the provision of supporting infrastructure.
The road project, which was awarded to Messrs Hi-Tech Construction Company Limited, will link Lekki-Epe Expressway at Victoria Garden City (VGC) Junction to the Freedom Way in Eti-Osa.
Besides, the 8.75 kilometre-long road, is also said to be a precursor to the proposed Fourth Mainland Bridge that is expected to take off from the axis.
When completed in the next 24 months, Sanwo-Olu said the regional road would not only change the entire landscape of Eti Osa and imrove journey time for commuters, he said it would also drive up the efficiency of government’s traffic management strategy.
He said: “With the flag off of the construction of this critical road infrastructure, we are keeping the promise we made to Lagosians. As a government, when we give commitment to our people, we do not shy away from it.
“Our word is our bond. Today’s event is a manifestation of our pledge to address infrastructural challenges on the Eti Osa axis. We know what people go through on the Lekki-Epe Expressway as a result of traffic.
“We are moved by the pains to hasten the process of putting the regional road in place to bring the long sought relief to our citizens working and living on this axis. Today, we are here for the ground-breaking ceremony to start work on this critical infrastructures.”
Sanwo-Olu said the state government and the contractor had made plans for exigencies that might arise in the course of the construction work, even as he promised that the project would not be stalled by unforeseen challenges.
He said Hi-Tech had assured the government that the project would be delivered on agreed period, even in the event of being faced by unforeseeable challenges.
Giving stern warning, the governor said sanctions awaited property developers and state officials who undermined the state’s planning approvals and encroached the alignments of the regional road.
He, therefore, directed the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to sanction any state official found culpable in compromising the planning approval and right-of-way of the road.
The governor said: “The regional road alignment has been gazetted long time ago, but we realise people deliberately flouted our approved plan for the road.
“I have instructed the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development to discipline and sanction officials that have been found culpable to compromise any form of approval for the right-of-way. They will be punished with people who raise properties on the approved alignment.”
Source: THISDAY
