BY MICHAEL EBOH
Lagos — The Federal Government has ordered Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to immediately commence the repair and rehabilitation of some failed sections of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos.

Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolememen, who gave this directive, yesterday, expressed concern over the frustration faced by commuters plying the road, considered as one of the busiest and most economically critical roads in the country, serving as gateway to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport and the Apapa ports.

Onolememen, in a statement said: “The Federal Government has directed Julius Berger to immediately commence emergency repairs on this failed section of Apapa-Oshodi road, by Rainbow end when going to Oshodi, so that members of the public can get a reprieve.

“The government is also concerned and worried about the frustration of commuters over this failed section of the road and has promised to attend to the problems urgently.”

Lagosians, and indeed, Nigerians, have faced untold hardship for years over the collapse of major sections of the road.
Commuters on the Apapa-Oshodi  Expressway, are daily faced with potholes on the entire stretch of the roads and the threats posed by trailers and tankers on the road.

A couple of days ago, a tanker carrying about 45,000 litres of petrol fell, while trying to negotiate some of the bad spots on the road. This led to a gridlock for the whole of the day, bringing activities in the area and the entire state to a halt, as vehicles were barred from using the road for fear of igniting a fire outbreak.

This and many more are the woes of commuters on this road on a daily basis.  The road has become a death trap for most unsuspecting drivers and there is hardly any day that passes without either a container falling or accidents of different kinds.

The Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, FERMA, had in February absorbed itself of blame over the collapse of the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Lagos, saying that it was not part of its mandate.

FERMA, through its spokesperson, Mrs. Maryam Sanusi, had said that rehabilitation of the road has already been awarded by the Federal Government to two construction companies, making it impossible for FERMA to undertake the repairs.

She said, “Oshodi-Apapa Expressway Section I (CH 0+000 to CH 7+000) has been awarded to Messrs. Borini Prono Nigeria Limited, and Oshodi- Apapa Expressway Section II (CH 7+000 to CH 23+000) awarded to Messrs. Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the road under reference is under an existing contract and FERMA does not work on a road under construction or rehabilitation contract.

“Government’s decision to award the road for rehabilitation was borne out of a technical evaluation which indicated that only a complete rehabilitation of the route will ease the perennial problem of that section. This is considering the level of deterioration of the road.

“Construction and rehabilitation, the kind of remedy fit for Oshodi – Apapa Expressway, are major civil engineering works that are clearly outside FERMA mandate and the level of funding available to the Agency.