The Federal Controller of Works in Lagos State Olukayode Popoola, says his ministry is fine tuning modalities for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to mobilise funding for the Lagos-Badagry Expressway project.
The Controller of Works made this revelation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Lagos.
Popoola said the highway would henceforth get lots of attention because of NNPC’s involvement in the project under Federal Government’s Tax Credit Scheme.
He told the NAN: “Lagos-Badagry Expressway project is part of the projects NNPC is funding under the Tax Credit Scheme among the 21 roads selected nationwide.
“So, it is going to receive a lot of attention more than what it has been receiving before.”
Popoola explained that the funds were already available, but that NNPC was perfecting documentation towards mobilising fully to site.
He said: “In a couple of days, we should be done with documentation.
“This month, give us like another one week more, NNPC funds will be on the road, you will see the effect in a week’s time.
“The contractors are on site and have never left, so if this fund comes now, it is another way of strengthening them and they will move faster.”
According to him, the construction would be evaluated the same way the SUKUK funds were monitored for monies to be released based on valuation of the actual construction done on the site per time.
Popoola, however, declined comment on the total sum voted for the highway because he did not have the figures handy.
NAN reports that Lagos State Government is responsible for the Iganmu-Okokomaiko section of the highway, while the Federal Emergency Road Management Agency is handling Okokomaiko-Agbara axis of the road.
Also, the Federal Government had on October 24, 2018 awarded the reconstruction of the 46km Agbara-Seme section of Badagry Expressway to CGC Nigeria Limited at a sum of N63.2 billion.
Also speaking on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway project, the Controller said on Section 1, which spans from Ojota in Lagos State to Sagamu Interchange in Ogun State, being handled by Julius Berger, had reached final layer on 37km out of 44km.
Popoola added: “So, we have less than 8km of the carriageway to complete.
“So, tentatively, we are still completing that project as the Honourable Minister said, next year, 2022, say June.”
NAN.
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