Amosun faults Jonathan on 6-lane expansion of Lagos-Ibadan expressway

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state on Friday faulted former President Goodluck Jonathan and his administration for‎ a six-lane architecture of Lagos-Ibadan expressway and its subsequent shoddy handling of the road, saying economic potentials of the highway is much larger than its six-lane size.

He revealed that he forwarded a personal letter to the former president, advising him on the need to draw and construct 10-lane road size due to the rising economic potentials of the road and huge traffic pressure along the axis, but the ex-president did otherwise by constructing a six-lane size that could not withstand the traffic pressure.

Governor Amosun, who spoke while receiving the team of officers from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) being led by Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshall to the Governor’s office in Abeokuta, on the need to instil good driving ‎habits in Nigerian drivers, especially articulated vehicle drivers, noted that he had complained to President Muhammadu Buhari for a review of the road project from six- lane to a 10-lane size.

He said, “The trailer issue is a big menace. We have to be resolute to get result on indiscipline and lawless acts of these drivers because lawlessness has become, endemic in our country.

“Besides, the economic implication of Lagos -Ibadan is so huge that we cannot afford to leave it continuously in bad shape.

“I have written Mr. President on the possibility of expanding this all-important highway into ten lanes. The ongoing expansion work on the road into 6 lanes will not help the situation at the end of the day due to the pressure of traffic.”

‎He stated that there were lot to put in place on road management, especially to forestall acts capable of posing danger to other road users in Nigeria, pointing out that the economic implication of the long stretched all-important Lagos-Ibadan highway must not be pushed over.

According to the Governor, Government would reconsider its intention in constructing state-of-art trailer park at two points on the expressway, adding that the idea of having under aged men driving articulated vehicles should be discouraged.

He assured that the present administration would continue to collaborate with the road agencies to bring sanity to all the roads and attract investors, urging the management of FRSC to intensify more efforts on road safety enlightenment.

Speaking earlier, Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshall stated that Ogun state was key to road safety development in the country, commending the State Government for fulfilling all its obligations and implementing joint tax decisions.

Oyeyemi said that the corps had begun enforcement of laws against reckless drivers, noting that the commitment of the agency was not to fine but to prosecute offenders.

RAZAQ AYINLA