12th March, 2012
Several roads and other infrastructure renewal projects are ongoing in Ikorodu area of Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria as the state government is aggressively embarking on scaling up project renewal in the area.
One of such projects is the rehabilitation of Awolowo Road, Phase II by Messrs Mahsen and Co. Nigeria Limited. The phase II of the project starts from Ota-Ona junction and ends at Olowu Street with a length of 2km and proposed width of 15.2m.
The project, whose contract sum is N1.55 billion, on completion, is expected to enhance economic growth, improve/decongest traffic within Ikorodu environs through Itamaga to Ijede Road and Itoikin.
Last week, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Kadiri Hamzat, led a team from the ministry to inspect over 16 ongoing projects in the area and declared that the road construction efforts of the Fashola administration were designed to make the state livable.
He explained that the completion of the Alhaji Ganiyu Alejo/ Rotimi Odusanya/ Engr. Adeuyan/ Haruna Streets, along with the newly awarded Sulaimon Soderu road would decongest the Ikorodu roundabout, as they would provide the necessary alternative routes.
The commissioner explained that the development is part of the administration’s commitment to develop inner road network and relieve major traffic bearing roads.
At the 16,000 square meter standard Mega jetty being developed at Ipakodo area of Ikorodu, Hamzat reiterated the commitment of government to ensure that intermodal transportation is adequately developed for the state, especially with its vast waterways.
According to him, when fully operational, the jetty has a capacity to hold 250 cars parked along with BRT buses and to handle over 900 people at a go within the sitting area.
“The Ipakodo Jetty was one of the three jetties awarded in 2008 and has a capacity to hold a traffic volume of over 4 million people with features such as an arrival and departure lounge, ticket booths, shops, eateries, and offices at the top floors and banking hall on the ground floor, all fully air-conditioned.
“The Ipakodo Jetty with facilities such as: park and ride, Lagbus/ BRT, public toilets, 33KVA Transformer, 500KVA generating set to ensure 24 hours uninterrupted power supply is ready to kick start its operation but would have to wait for the other two in Badore and Osborne to completely reap the benefit of water transportation.
“With the growing utilization of the waterways by the citizens, the state government will continue to promote the policy of intermodal transportation,” he said.
On the newly awarded 156 infrastructure project contracts by the state government, Hamzat stated that the awards would not totally eradicate road traffic challenges but would substantially address them, adding that as long as communities are growing in the state, there would be need to construct new roads as well as maintain or rebuild existing ones.
The commissioner, who noted that the state government has demonstrated a capacity for utilising available funds effectively, said inadequate resources is responsible for the inability of the government to give attention to some of the roads in the state.
Some of the projects inspected by the commissioner are Ipakodo Jetty, Ibeshe road, Alhaji Borokini road, Awolowo road, Owutu road, Ikorodu High & Magistrate Courts, Oba Ayangburen Palace.