The Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, has attributed the delays in reconstructing the Lagos-Sango-Abeokuta Expressway to the federal government’s bottlenecks, emphasizing that as a federal road, permission from the federal government was required.
In a statement on the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of the Ogun State Government, Abiodun noted that both he and Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had sought approval during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, but their requests were denied.
Governor Abiodun clarified that the current administration under President Bola Tinubu has granted the necessary approval, and the contract for the road was awarded in May.
“The Lagos-Sango- Abeokuta road is a federal government road and has been in a very bad shape for long. Because of the suffering our people pass through on the road, I and my counterpart in Lagos jointly wrote a letter, using a single letterhead to the Federal Executive Council, seeking the transfer of that road for us to reconstruct.
“After waiting for a month without a reply, we wrote a reminder. That road was not handed over to us until the present federal government came on board. The contract for the road has been awarded since May this year,” he said.
However, Governor Abiodun mentioned that the state still faces stiff opposition from some federal officials regarding the transfer, which compelled the state government to formally award the contract in May, even without the necessary transfer papers.
What you should know
This is not the first time the Ogun State Government has attributed the disrepair of a road within the state to federal bureaucratic delays in granting authorization for reconstruction.
In May 2024, Nairametrics reported that the Ogun State Government blamed the dilapidated condition of the road leading to the Abeokuta train station on federal delays in granting reconstruction authorization.
The road, which is crucial for connectivity, has significantly deteriorated. Reports indicate that the road has collapsed and other sections have been washed away by erosion.
The Ogun State Government revealed that it had formally sought permission from the Federal Government, which oversees the road, to begin reconstruction efforts. However, there has been a delay in receiving a response due to bureaucratic inertia within the responsible ministry. This prolonged delay has exacerbated the road’s condition, making it more difficult for commuters.
Additionally, the Ogun State Government disclosed that after years of bureaucratic delays, it has finally received authorization to reconstruct the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Road.
This approval comes after a longstanding request by Governor Dapo Abiodun, marking a significant step forward in addressing the state’s infrastructure challenges and improving overall transportation within the region.
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