Works Minister Dave Umahi has expressed satisfaction at the quality of rehabilitation and expansion work on Section 1 of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The section starts from the Sagamu Interchange and ends at the Iperu Junction, both in Ogun. The project covers 12km with rigid pavement, five pedestrian bridges, four ramps, and three underpass routes.

Mr Umahi, during an inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation of the section of the road, said, ”I am very satisfied with the quality of work and the speed of work.

“We paid only 30 per cent  of the contract amount for this job, but I can assure you that they have done over 50 per cent of the job.”

He, however, directed the contractor to ensure the project was completed by the end of January.

Mr Umahi also directed the contractor to do the shoulders with laterite, where rigid pavements had been done.

“Whether it is in the bill or not, we are not paying for it. It is called protective work.

“There must be protective work to the edge of the pavement—a minimum of 1.5m if there is an embankment—before they descend with a two-to-one slope of embankment.

“The reason is to protect the pavement. If you don’t, water will start getting into it, and it will break.”

He directed the contractor to start the drainage where it should and to begin installing solar lights.

“By the end of this month, we should have everything about this 24km road fully completed,” he said.

Mr Umahi also inspected the 48km Benin-Ofosu-Ore-Sagamu dual carriageway. The project starts at Iperu junction and ends at Ajebandele, linking Ogun with Ondo and extending into the eastern part of Nigeria.

According to the minister, the Ore-Benin Road had been in good condition.

“From Benin to Summit Junction in Asaba is being done by a concessionaire, African Plus. By next week, I am going to evaluate that job and whether the concession is working.

“If it is not working, we will make a decision because we have very terrible news during December about the way the road was totally impassable,” he said.

Mr Umahi said the federal government intended to rehabilitate the entire stretch of the road from Sagamu to Asaba.

”The little push on 11km by two from Summit Junction in Asaba down to the Head Bridge is being reconstructed by Heartland,” the minister said.

He commended the contractor handling the Benin-Ofosu-Ore-Sagamu dual carriageway reconstruction and expansion for a good and fast job.

“I have had to go and examine the mixture of the concrete. I have seen the method of reconstruction. It was excellently done.”

Mr Umahi, however, directed the contractor to pull down the median and do a better one.

(NAN)