From an unlikely quarters – the Federal Government, came a Christmas gift to all Nigerians. The government this morning temporary opens the Lagos Ibadan Expressway, which has been undergoing major repairs for close to two decades to traffic.
The opening brought instant relief to residents, travellers and users of the Lagos Ibadan Expressway corridor as the Federal Ministry of Works opens up the road.
In an exclusive interview with the Federal Controller of Works Mr Fred Kuti, impediments on all the junctions on the expressway are being removed to pave way from free flow of traffic especially during the yuletide.
Kuti debunked speculations in the social media that the road was slated to have been opened earlier, saying no date was fixed for the opening of the road earlier than December 19, 2018 and the reason was to give relief to travellers during the festive period.
In a telephone chat, Kuti said: “I am on the Lagos Ibadan expressway right now for a final check on the road before we open it up tomorrow (today). It is not as if we gave another date apart from this, and I have had cause to debunk such reports. We are going to open up all areas that were blocked to pave way for free flow of traffic during the festivities.”
He said the roads would be closed again after the festivities for works to continue on the repairs and rehabilitation going on there.
According to him, it is in the interest of everybody that the road be closed so that the work would be completed on schedule, adding that the Ministry just resolved to remove all barriers at all affected junctions to ensure that we ensure free flow of traffic, thereby reducing the pains and stress of travellers, motorists and commuters.
Kuti who thanked the motoring public for their understanding, patience and cooperation all through the period of the closure and diversion on portions of the road said the opening is intended to absorb the high volume of traffic as a result of the Christmas and New Year festivities, with many travelling in and out of the state.
The season also usually witnesses a higher volume of traffic in haulage services as businessmen move their goods from Lagos to all parts of the country.
Thousands of road users have suffered heavily on the road in the past, as many motorists caught in the traffic gridlock have had cause to sleep on the road.
But all these may be a thing of the past as the road is reopened. Kuti said: “I can report to you right now that the road is an expressway in the true sense of the word. All the impediments have been removed and the roads are now free,” he told The Nation yesterday.