Ambode, Fashola may clash over Apapa-Oshodi Expressway

The rivalry between former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola and the current Gov, Akinwunmi Ambode may be playing out again. Less than a month after the Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Fashola assured Lagos that the damaged portions of Oshodi-Apapa Expressway will be repaired after the signing of the 2016 budget, the Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode has also ordered the state’s ministry of works to start working on the same road.

Damaged portion of Apapa-Oshodi Expressway

Last month, the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Mr Godwin Eke, said on Sunday that the Federal Government was set to begin rehabilitation of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway as well as other federal roads in Lagos. He, however, said that the Federal Ministry of Works was waiting for approval of the 2016 budget, to begin the repairs.

The questions being raised are: if Ambode was aware of the plans by Fashola to fix the road, why not choose another part of major highways in the state for repair instead of focusing on the same Oshodi-Apapa Expressway? For example, the Agege-Motor Road along Oshodi is not excactly in good shape. Why didn’t Ambode attempt to fix the road?

“The Minister, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has given his word that the Apapa/Oshodi expressway and all other federal roads in Lagos and throughout the federation will be fixed soon.

“We are assuring the public that as soon as the budget is passed, we will mobilise the contractors to site to begin repairs on these critical sections, that is, the Ilasamaja/Berliet/Iyana Itire sections,’’ Eke said.

But it seemed that Ambode was unaware of the plans of Fashola to fix the same road: two days ago,  Ambode who made an unscheduled inspection tour of the road while returning from the opening of a 70, 000 capacity Motorbikes Assembly Plant in Mile 2, directed the State’s Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and other relevant government agencies, to immediately move to site and fix the bad portions of the same road.

Sources said Ambode inspected the bad portions of the road between Berlett and Ilasa, and Cele Bus stops, inward Oshodi.  “The state of this road is just not acceptable. We are going to do something about this place immediately. The Oshodi-Apapa Expressway is too strategic to be left like this.

“I have directed officials of the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure and other relevant agencies to move to site immediately and see what they can do and also create palliatives in the interim to alleviate the plight of motorists.

“I want to assure the people that I share in the difficulties they are going through using this road and we cannot afford to neglect this road,” Ambode said.

 In April, Eke said “We have made some proposals and designs on how to fix the highway and other federal roads in Lagos, but it is tied to the 2016, 2017 and the 2018 budgets.”