Motorists, Commuters Lament Slow Pace of Apapa-Oshodi Road Repairs

Some road users in Lagos Wednesday appealed to the federal government to speed up repairs on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway to reduce gridlock and accident.

Some of the road users, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews, said that the expressway had been cut off by gullies and trucks, noting that the repairing of the road was slow.

Mr Solomon Nkemakolam, an Uber driver, said that craters compounded gridlock while vehicles were compelled to ply only the Oshodi bound carriageway as double lane because trucks had blocked the Apapa bound carriageway.

“Everywhere is blocked, it was tough crossing those pits with my car, that is why I am washing it now’’ he said.

Malam Ado Dahiru, a business man who deals in electronics between Lagos and some Northern cities, noted that the hardship on the road made movement difficult and almost impossible.

“Trucks have blocked the other lane, this lane is cut off because of the gullies, refuse has blocked the median, commercial motorcycles are maneuvering through every little available space.

“It is difficult to drive or walk on this road, we need all round quick government intervention here,’’ he said.

A car dealer, Mr. Nna Gerald, stressed the need to fix the road on time “because we are going through hell on daily basis and we are not making sales’’.

“Tankers are always falling here and it is affecting our business, people who want to buy cars cannot because there is no road to move it out,’’ he said.

Another car dealer, Mr. Ogeri Charles, said he saw construction workers on the Oshodi-Apapa road last week, but that speeding repairs of the road became imperative.

“They are already working but the work is slow, a road like this requires very quick repairs because this road leads to the Apapa ports responsible for a lot of businesses in this nation,’’ Ogeri said.

NAN correspondents, who took a trip on the road, reported that the gullies have taken over around Trinity Bus Stop toward Berger (Under Bridge) while some vehicles were stuck in the craters in the course of navigating the depths covered with pond on the Oshodi bound carriageway.

Responding, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State, Mr Adedamola Kuti, told NAN that a contract had been awarded for the reconstruction of the road.

Kuti explained that the road had been officially handed over to the contractor, the Dangote Group, adding that its workers were on site, fixing bad portions on the road.

He promised that “all the issues stakeholders raised would be addressed very soon.’’

“We are going to make sure we make effective use of the dry season to repair a lot of our roads,’’ Kuti promised. (NAN)