Infrastructure: Lagos commissions Agege Pen Cinema Flyover, 5 arterial roads

*The Lagos State Government says the construction and commissioning of the 1.4-kilometre Agege Pen Cinema flyover is part of the recommendation at Lagos Economic Summit (Ehingbeti) to achieve significant traffic improvement in the densely populated area of the state

*‘I’m proud, Sanwo-Olu has shown excellent results’ ─Ex-Lagos Gov. Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

After enduring discomfort of commuting amid choking vehicular gridlocks within the axis of the state in the last four years, the long-sought relief has come the way of residents in the Agege-Abule Egba axis of Lagos State of Nigeria.

ConsumerConnect reports Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, commissioned the Agege Pen Cinema Bridge, and five arterial road networks in the area, formally opening the infrastructure for public use Friday, March 5, 2021.

The arterial or adjoining roads commissioned with the flyover are Iju Road, Oba Ogunji Road, Agunbiade Road, Oke Koto Intersection and Iyana Ipaja link road respectively.

L-R: Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and Mrs. Aramide Adeyoye, Special Adviser to Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, at the project commissioning at Agege, Lagos

Tumultuous crowd of joyous residents of the area joined Sanwo-Olu, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of the state, and members of the State’s cabinet in handing over the bridge for public use.

The Lagos State Government in a piece on its Web site noted that the commissioning marked fulfilment of another campaign promise made by Governor Sanwo-Olu to residents, who hitherto daily endured pain in commuting within the axis in the few years.

The government disclosed the construction of the 1.4-kilometre long flyover was part of the recommendation at the Lagos Economic Summit (Ehingbeti) under ex-Governor Babatunde Fashola’s administration, as a strategic intervention to achieve significant traffic improvement in the densely populated area.

The last administration created the right-of-way and set up the structural beams; Governor Sanwo-Olu substantially completed civil works on the bridge.

“The imposing overpass ascends from Oba Ogunji Road and drops at Oke Koto area of Agege. The bridge also opens to the old Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway through Abule Egba,” said the state government.

The State Governor on the occasion described the delivery of the project as a “landmark progress” in the State Government’s drive towards eliminating bottlenecks causing suffocating gridlocks and relieving residents of stress associated with commuting on roads.

According to Sanwo-Olu, the two-pronged approach, which his administration deployed to deliver critical infrastructure, gave priority to continuation and completion of strategic projects, regular maintenance and construction of new ones in line with the State’s Strategic Transport Master Plan (STMP).

He stated: “I am delighted to stand before Lagosians today to celebrate the delivery of this landmark project, which again, reflects our administration’s belief in the principle of continuity in governance and demonstrates our commitment to the urgency of infrastructure development and the welfare of our people.

“The completion of this flyover and five network of roads sends a strong message about our determination to accelerate our futuristic vision for a world-class transportation system complemented by a good network of roads for social and economic transformation.”

Sanwo-Olu further said: “In order to address the challenge of huge traffic burden, the immediate past administration initiated and commenced the construction of a precast and pre-stressed reinforced concrete of 1.4km dual-carriage flyover and ramp, with road works across the Agege-Pen Cinema Intersection.

“As of May 2019 when this administration was inaugurated, this project was at about 20 per cent progress.

“With the delivery of this bridge, which is complemented with traffic signalisation and drainage channels, we have resolved the perennial traffic arising from huge human and vehicular movement from Agege-Pen Cinema Intersection towards Abule Egba, Fagba, Oke Koto and Iyana Ipaja.”

Since road transportation remained crucial to economic growth and physical development, it is believed the project would inject more life into socio-economic activities of people living and doing business in the area, added Sanw-Olu.

He pledged that his administration would not relent in provision of infrastructure for coordinated and sustainable development that would help to improve the Lagos State performance on the Ease of Doing Business index in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Asiwaju Tinubu, who had the honour to inaugurate the projects Friday, described the development as a “needed catalyst” for the resuscitation of economic activities on the axis.

Tinubu expressed confidence in Sanwo-Olu’s leadership as he noted that Sanwo-Olu had stabilised and brought Lagos back on a focused journey, despite economic turbulence occasioned by disruptive Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and coordinated destruction of the state’s assets during the #EndSARS protests.

The former Lagos State Governor, who described the governor as “a brilliant captain”, applauded the collaboration between the Executive and Legislative arms of government in the state.

“This is a commendable achievement by Sanwo-Olu, who has further brought Lagos on the path of progress, given the economic resuscitation this infrastructure will bring on this axis and entire Lagos.

“May you continue to think and perform to demonstrate excellent results as you have done today (Friday),” stated Tinubu.

In his remarks on the occasion, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, described Governor Sanwo-Olu as “a proactive, wonderful performer”, who always accomplishes any projects he promises.

Kindly Share This Story