National Assembly decries slow pace of work on Agbara-Badagry Expressway

The House of Representatives Committee on Public Service Matters, has expressed disappointment over the slow pace of work on the Agbara-Badagry Expressway by contractor handling the project.

Chairman of the committee, Sani Bala, expressed the disappointment on Wednesday when the committee paid an oversight visit to the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, Badagry.

“The construction is being funded under the Sukuk, definitely the issue of finance is no longer the problem; some money has been earmarked for the project and I am sure the money has been released to the contractor.

“This is an international road. There are lot of trucks carrying loads from different West Africa countries to Nigeria, as well as trucks conveying goods to others countries through this road.

“It is unfortunate that the journey of less than one hour from Lagos to Badagry is now taking over five hours.

“And this is why people that would have loved to come for training at ASCON are refusing to come,’’ he said.

Bala, however, commended the management of the college for completing different projects in the institution in the last one year.

“From the last time we came till now, there have been tremendous improvement in infrastructure development in ASCON.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria intervention projects have been completed and we are very happy about this,’’ the chairman said.

Bala said that part of the mandate of the committee was to ensure speedy completion of developmental projects included in 2021 budget.

He appealed to government agencies and institutions to patronise the institution in the training of their workers, adding that the college has all the facilities for training.

Bala assured that the committee would assist ASCON to fulfill its mandate of providing management training for public servants.

ASCON’s Director-General, Cecilia Umar-Gayya, urged the National Assembly to increase the budgetary allocation to the college to enable it meet its obligations.

“Most of the year, the N99 million appropriation to the college is not totally released and currently the college is owing N165m to different contractors, who supplied diesel to power its generators.’’

Umar-Gayya also said that the school was faced with challenge of old and dilapidated structures resulting in high maintenance cost.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that on Jan. 9, 2019 the federal government began palliative works on the Agbara-Seme Border section of Lagos-Badagry Expressway to reduce the hardship being experienced by motorists, passengers and residents of the area.