By our Reporter
Motorists can now move without staying for hours in traffic along Mowe-Ibafo axis as the Federal Government ordered the immediate removal of barriers from the site of the Lagos-Ibadan road construction.
This is coming three days before the earlier date of December 15 announced by the authority.
The removal of the barriers by the contractors, Messrs Julius Berger, which took place between Kara Bridge and Long Bridge (inward Lagos) on Monday, was supervised by the Director of Work, Federal Ministry of Work, South West, Mr Adedamola Kuti, an engineer.
He disclosed that the entire road project – Lagos to Shagamu Interchange and from Shagamu interchange to Iwo Road Ibadan in Oyo State – would be delivered before the end of first quarter of next year.
Also present at the site were the Federal Controller of Work, Lagos State, Umar Bakare, an engineer; Zonal Commander, Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), Ogun State, Peter Kibo; and Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Mr Lanre Bankole, among other officials.
Speaking with journalists, Kuti said the Federal Government through the ministry decided to remove the barriers earlier before time to allow free movement of traffic during the Christmas season.
According to him, rather than waiting till December 15 announced earlier, the authority decided to open the road to enhance vehicular movement since the contractor, Messrs Julius Berger Plc has attained a certain level of construction at the location.
He said: “As part of our ember months programme, there was an announcement we made earlier that all barriers at the road construction sites will be removed by 15th December to allow movement during the season.
“On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, we have already attained a level to which we can allow those barriers to be removed. So rather than waiting till Thursday, December 15th, and just as we did at the other section of old Toll Gate up to Otedola Bridge, we will open for traffic movement from where we have completed.
The director of work emphasised that though, the construction work on the expressway is yet to be completed, but the gesture was to allow free movement during the festive season.