20 Years After Conception, Sanwo-Olu Flags off Ojota-Opebi Link Bridge

*Says Lagos acquires additional 3 sets of trains for Blue Line

*Promises to honour agreement reached with Magodo landlords

Segun James

After 20 years of conception, Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday flagged off the construction of Ojota – Opebi Link Bridge and Approach Roads to ease traffic in the Ikeja-Ojota area of the state.

The project is expected to link Opebi in Allen Avenue area with Ojota and Maryland through the Odo-Iya Alaro underpass.

Named the Legacy Project, Ojota-Opebi Link Bridge and Approach Roads, the project according to the Governor is strategic because of the huge traffic bearing capacity of the area as it will help reduce the perennial gridlock along the Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Road that leads to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport.

According to Sanwo-Olu, the Link Bridge has a total length of 3.89km consisting 2829m road length with 276m Deck-on-Pile Bridge and 474m Mechanically Stabilized Earth Wall approach sections.

Speaking at the flag off ceremony, Governor Sanwo-Olu also hinted that aside the two Talgo trains acquired by the state government for its Red Line Metro System, the government has also acquired additional three sets of trains for the Blue Line Metro System. The Red Line which is expected to be completed this year will run from Okomaiko in the Badagry axis of the state to Marina in Lagos Island, while the Blue Line will run from Ikeja to Marina.

In a related development, Governor Sanwo-Olu has said that the state government will honour the agreements reached the landlords at the disputed Magodo Estate.

The Governor said that the link bridge project which was conceived 20 years ago by the government of Senator Bola Tinubu has been awarded to Messrs Julius Berger Nigeria Plc after carrying out extensive studies and engineering investigations along the project alignment, and it is expected to be completed in 20 months.

Sanwo-Olu said, “We are here this afternoon to witness another milestone in the implementation of the Traffic Management and Transportation Pillar of our administration’s THEMES Agenda and the State Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP).

“This flag off ceremony demonstrates the priority that we accord the welfare and well-being of the people. It is also a testament of our commitment to the Greater Lagos Vision.

“We recognize the strategic importance of road infrastructure to sustainable development, which explains our administration’s focus on the provision of road infrastructure to achieve some pre-conceived targets like reduced travel time on our roads- (by saving important man-hours that would have been otherwise lost to traffic); enhanced inter connectivity; provision of better riding surface; and elimination of traffic gridlocks while generally making life more meaningful to commuters in Lagos State.

“In consideration of the exponential growth rate of commercial activities and services within this axis, and to address the challenge of the huge traffic burden occasioned by the growth, we decided to provide carefully designed innovative solutions to ease the daily gridlock experienced by commuters around Opebi / Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way/ Ojota/Mende corridor.

“As you are aware, there is presently no direct link between Opebi, Maryland and Ojota. The available road infrastructure that links the axis is also limited in its connectivity options, thus during peak periods, the high traffic volume within the axis usually congests the Ikeja Traffic Network.

“Consequently, we recognized the need to provide another Legacy Project by constructing the Ojota – Opebi Link Bridge and Approach Roads to connect Opebi Road from its tail end with Lagos- Ikorodu road by Odo Iya -Alaro.

“This will invariably reduce travel time for Lagos and Ikorodu bound traffic from Opebi. It will also ease the traffic situation at Opebi – Sheraton Link Road and Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way.

“This Legacy Project will provide a new link to commute around Ikeja and its environs. It will also act as a relief to the saturated and over-burdened routes within Ikeja. There will also be a cascading effect on passenger transfer time for public transport operators with a significant impact on vehicle operating costs.”

Speaking on the newly acquired 2 sets of 10 Talgo car-train, the Governor said, “We also initiated the construction of a 37 km track rail project which is steadily progressing, in addition to the complete overhaul of our water transportation system so that we can achieve an efficient and safe transport system that suits our megacity status and befits a 21st century economy.

“The Talgo trains will make our transportation system more functional, open up the local economy and bring impactful succor and relief to commuters.

“We have also acquired 3 sets of train for the Blue Line as we will be unveiling that we don’t want to talk much about it,” adding “If you don’t want to believe what we are saying, you can’t disbelieve what we’ve done.”

In her welcome address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr Aramide Adeyoye, said, “It might interest you all to note that this project was conceived as far back as in Year 2001 over twenty (20) years ago, but for one reason or the other has not seen the light of the day. My joy knows no bounds that our dear Governor has decided to take the bull by the horns to ensure that this long overdue project which will transform the entire ikeja and environs becomes a reality.

“At present, there is an overstretch on the capacity of the existing network of roads in the corridor with limiting connectivity options that would ease traffic and improve travel time. More importantly there is no direct link between the Opebi – Maryland – Ogudu – 3rd Mainland Bridge as conceived in the Lagos State Transportation Master Plan (STMP).”

In another event, Governor Sanwo-Olu at the commissioning of the Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area Ultra Modern Secretariat Complex and Ikosi Fruit Market Phase One, said that his government would respect agreements reached with the landlords of Magodo land.

Said the Governor: “I appreciate the Magodo Landlords Association for preventing mayhem and other tragedies waiting to happen by agreeing to work in concert with the State Government and Ikosi-Isheri LCDA to resolve the issues connected to implementing the judgement of the Supreme Court on land ownership in Magodo Shangisha.

“I assure all parties in this matter of our commitment to the implementation of the agreement reached for a lasting and amicable resolution.”

Sanyo-Olu used to occasion to shower praises on Senator Tinubu whom he called the Architect of modern Lagos.

“It is appropriate for me to start by paying glowing tribute to the National leader of our great party, the All-Progressives Congress (APC); the architect of modern Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. During his tenure as Governor, he responded to the general clamor by the citizens of this great State to create additional local governments, which, today are the 37 LCDAs, carved out of the existing 20 Local Governments. Being a visionary leader, Asiwaju remained undaunted and demonstrated uncommon courage in the face of intimidation by the then Federal Government to ensure that the will of the people prevailed.

“You will all recall that in the struggle for the validation of the new LCDAs, Federal allocation was withheld in flagrant disobedience to the Supreme court judgement which affirmed the unconstitutionality of that action.

“Today, we all testify to the soundness of the idea because the existence of the LCDAs has greatly facilitated grassroots socio-economic development and governance has, indeed, been brought closer to the people. The dividends of that initiative, which some other States have adopted, can be seen in the various infrastructural development projects that have made lives more comfortable for the vast majority of our people at the grassroots.

“The two projects that I have the privilege to commission today: The Ultra-Modern Secretariat Complex and the Ikosi Fruit Market Phase I are examples of development enhancing initiatives that will positively impact the lives of the people of this LCDA.”

He commended and congratulated the Management of Ikosi-Isheri LCDA headed by Mrs Samiat Abolanle Bada, saying that they upheld the philosophy of continuity in governance by ensuring the implementation and completion of the projects inherited from the previous administration, particularly the newly built fruit market which was demolished in 2019.

“Let me use this occasion to reiterate the need for continued robust collaboration between our local governments and the State government to facilitate sustainable development and the delivery of greater dividends of democracy to our people and the achievement of the Greater Lagos we all desire. I implore the leadership in the 20 LGAs and 37 LCDAs to work towards strengthening the existing collaboration by complementing our efforts at the State level in the areas of construction/maintenance of inner roads, waste management, security of lives and property, primary education and healthcare so that we can deliver a Smart City State that works for all.