Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has described the reconstruction and expansion of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos as a strategic economic intervention, saying that beyond the primary aim of easing traffic flow, the expressway is also providing jobs and growing the economy.
“Everyone else sees a road being reconstructed, but we on this side see economy—a strategic economic intervention,” the minister said, explaining that besides the 650 direct jobs the reconstruction work has created, the materials used are locally sourced.
Fashola who spoke during an inspection tour of the reconstruction work on the expressway at the weekend, pointed out that instead of importing bitumen for the work, Nigerian cement was being used.
“That keeps cement factories going, employing more Nigerians; we produce the cement, bag and transport it to areas of need. There is an economy going on there,” he noted.
The minister noted further that about 5000 tones of aggregate have moved from the quarry to the construction site. This requires labour, drivers, trucks, tyres etc which he said are the underlying economy.
In terms of prosperity and poverty, he said, he cited both Liverpool and Creek roads in Apapa where businesses have started coming back because the roads have been reconstructed. He hoped that more of the businesses that were short down would be coming back, expecting to see property redevelopment and renewal once the roads areompleted.
“Once the economy of Apapa returns, all the clearing, forwarding, shipping, and other business activities will come back and that will mean shared prosperity for the whole community which will in turn mean a significant departure from poverty,” he said.
The reconstruction of the Apapa Oshodi Expressway is being undertaken by the Dangote Group under the federal government’s infrastructure tax credit initiative. The reconstruction work starts from the Apapa Port gate to Oworonshoki and that will cost the group about N72.9 billion.
“We expect that by the end of 2020, the entire road network will be finished and we will have a road that will last for 40 years. By that time, we expect that the rail facility that will run from Lagos to Ibadan shall begin some level of operation and the roads will last their actual designed lifespan,” he assured.
Aliko Dangote, President/CEO of the Dangote Group who accompanied the minister on the inspection tour, hoped that when the work was finished, people who had deserted Apapa Oshodi expressway would come back to their homes and businesses.
“We assure you that the road will be finished before the end of next year. Residents and businesses have been very friendly to the contractor because they are looking forward to the completion of the construction work. Once that is done, their businesses will thrive much better than now,” he said.
Dangote disclosed that his group is also part of the pain congestion inflects on businesses in Apapa as a result of poor port access roads. “We also operate inside the port. Two of our companies have made losses,” he said.
Continuing, he said, “looking at our income between 2017 and 2018, you will see that we lost over N25 billion because of congestion. We were able to produce but we were not able to get out of the ports. With the opening up access roads we hope things will be better. This is why we are working day and night to ensure that the road is delivered on schedule with the highest quality standard. “
The business mogul assured further the road, on completion, would be one of the best road networks not only in Nigeria, but also in Africa.
CHUKA UROKO
