Handlers and one of the financiers of the ongoing Wharf Road, Apapa reconstruction, Messrs AG Dangote Construction Company Limited, at the weekend reassured Apapa residents, motorists and commuters that the pains and agony they are currently going through as a result of the reconstruction of the road that commenced June last year, will soon be over as efforts are being channelled into the project to meet the July 2018 completion date.

Ongoing repair work on the Apapa wharf roads in Lagos

Speaking to journalists at the project site while taking them round to see the extent of work done so far, Jimoh Olatayo, an engineer and project manager, AG Dangote Construction Company Limited, said 75 per cent of the two-kilometre road project that is divided into four sections, has been fully completed while works have been completed at various stages in other sections.

Lamenting challenges confronting the project such as rains, traffic, security, potholes and others, Olatayo noted however, that despite these challenges, AG Dangote is on course to meet the July completion date of the multi-million naira project being financed by Dangote Group, Nigerian Flour Mills and Nigerian Ports Authority.

“We are confident we will meet the July completion date. We are sure we will complete all the concrete works of the remaining sections by July while the dressing works will commence after. The crash barriers will equally be completed,” Olatayo assured.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s longest concrete road project will be delivered by December, the company handling the project, AG Dangote, has assured.

According to Project Director of AG-Dangote Construction Company Limited, Olatunbosun Kalejaiye, an engineer, so far, 29 kilometres have been completed, pointing out that the 43km Obajana-Kabba road project was part of the Corporate Social Responsibility, CRS of Dangote Cement Plc.

Kalejaiye assured newsmen on tour of the project at the weekend that “there is nothing to worry about, as  we will deliver the 43km rigid pavement by December.”

Speaking in the same vein, the Project Manager, Akhimienho Emmanuel, said when completed, the road can last for two generations (more than 50 years).

Meanwhile, commercial activities have started springing up along the Obajana-Kabba road in Kogi State.

However, worried by the huge sum of money used in road repairs, President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote had said plans were afoot to revolutionise Nigerian roads with concrete, stressing that resources used in road repairs and maintenance would be channelled to other more important needs of the nation.

According to him: “We are going to be building concrete roads in the country so that any time we build a road, we do not have to go back to repair after the third rainy season, but move on and use the resources to address other pressing needs of Nigeria.”

It would be recalled that as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, CRS, the Dangote Group had earlier commissioned the 26-km Itori-Ibese Concrete Road.

At the commissioning, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, had noted that the stride by the Dangote Group demonstrated the unwavering commitment of an indigenous investor towards the industrialisation of Nigeria.

Traditional and community leaders at Obajana, eulogised Aliko Dangote for bringing the massive road project to their land.

The Bajana of Obajana land, King Idowu Senibi, described the project as gigantic and the first of its kind anywhere in Nigeria.

Senibi said: “Dangote is our son. We would protect his huge investment and gigantic concrete road. I am happy that this is happening in my lifetime and in my kingdom. This is a great opportunity for us and many generations to come. Our society will be opened as you can see vehicles and commercial activities have started coming up. May God Almighty bless Dangote and all his staff.”

He said Obajana was like a village before the coming of Dangote Cement Plc but now “our population is about 70,000 people and is still growing.”

Speaking in the same vein, the traditional head of Akpata land, Frederick Durojaiye Balogun said his people were very proud of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, adding that Dangote Cement, Obajana plant, which is the single largest cement plant in the world, has brought honour and respect to their kingdoms.

Speaking, the King of Okebunku land in Kabba Bunu Local Government, Timothy Omonile commended the president of the Dangote Group and charged other philanthropists to emulate him, adding that that is the only way Nigeria can develop its economy and infrastructure.