Transportation

Commuters Groan on Lagos-Ibadan Highway

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Gridlock has returned to the Longbridge axis of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, as Julius Berger resumed construction works on the road.

The ongoing repair of the road was suspended in December last year to enable travellers plying the route to enjoy hassle-free movement to their various destinations for the festive period.

The barricades on the road were also removed.

However, it was observed that the construction firm started moving its utility trucks back to the OPIC end of the road on Wednesday, as it also placed some barriers to divide the road from OPIC towards Kara Bridge.

As a result of the diversion traffic started building up along the axis on Wednesday night.

The gridlock increased on Thursday morning, extending to the Longbridge.

A joint team of security operatives, including the police, military and the Federal Road Safety Corps, were sighted at the Arepo end of the road, as they prevented motorists from driving against traffic.

It was also observed a gradual hike in transport fares, as Berger to Magboro increased from N300 to N500, while those heading towards Mowe/Ibafo paid N800.

A motorist, Funke Adebambo, expressed worry over the return of the gridlock, saying it always affected her business.

She said, “The traffic affects me economically. I take this route almost every day to purchase goods in Lagos and back to Ogun State. This affected me during the period the repair was going on last year. I only felt relief in December when they suspended the work. Now that they have resumed work, it will start affecting my movement again.”

A commuter, Tayo Oyewusi, complained about the huge transport fares.

A bus driver, Kunle Akanle, said the increase in transport costs was a result of the gridlock.

He said, “We have no choice but to increase the transport fares. The number of trips I covered before the traffic started has reduced. I now spend a long time in traffic. Even if we try to take alternative routes, my vehicle gets faulty because of the bad road.”

The Ogun State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Ahmed Umar, said efforts were ongoing to ensure smooth movement along the road.

He said, “We are doing our best professionally to ensure smooth mobility, while also interfacing with Julius Berger to expedite action on the ongoing work. We are also calling on motorists to exercise patience while approaching the construction area, obey speed limits, imbibe discipline and avoid route violations to help us manage the traffic better.”

The Director, Federal Ministry of Works, South-West, Adedamola Kuti, did not take his calls and had yet to respond to a text message on the development as of the time this report was filed.

Punch / Titilayo Kupoliyi

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Environment

Govt Seals 2 Companies for Violating Environmental Laws

By Web News 367 0

Ogun State Government has sealed two companies, Build Well Plants and Equipments Limited and Katchey Laboratories for building on government canal and flood plain thereby causing excessive flooding and other environmental infractions in their immediate communities.


Commissioner for Environment, Mr Ola Oresanya ordered the sealing of the companies after an on-the-spot assessment tour of Magada, Redstar, Wemabod and Sparklight OPIC Estate communities where the companies committed the environmental infractions in the Magboro area of Obafemi-Owode Local Government of the state.


While Buildwell Plants and Equipments Limited were found guilty of building on a government canal and fencing it inward into their compound, Katchey Laboratories sand-filled a floodplain land and also fenced it thereby causing excessive flooding in the four communities.


In sealing the companies, Commissioner said the state government will not fold its hand and watch irresponsible and man-made environmental infractions by the two companies which had affected the well-being of residents of the communities.


“It’s disgusting to see Buildwell with built structures on government canals and more annoying is its enfontery of fencing the canal into its compound while Katchey sand-filled a flood- plain land and fenced it without caring on the environmental impact it will have on the property and living conditions it will have on thousands of residents nearby especially flooding”.


“The state government will not tolerate these infractions as a responsible government, the welfare of our people is uppermost than the pecuniary gains of few individuals as any company that infringes on the well-being of our people will see our other side” Oresanya added.


The commissioner further warned other companies that the state government will not tolerate any environmental infractions on their side saying the full wrath of the law will be visited on them.


To bring immediate relief to the communities, he said the state government will dredge all existing canals in the communities so as to increase their carrying capacities while other solutions will also be proferred soon after a stakeholders’ meeting between the state government, representatives of the sealed companies and other companies operating in the areas as well as their various Communities Development Associations, CDAs to find a lasting solution to the problem.


Responding, the Chairman of Magada Community, Mrs Deborah Olawepo who spoke on behalf of other communities thanked the state government for its timely intervention as the steps taken will serve as deterrence to others which will assist in reducing flooding issues in the communities to the bearest minimum now and in the near future.

Wale Oluokun

Transportation

Road Construction: Commuters Trapped in Gridlock

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Several motorists and commuters have lamented being trapped in the traffic induced by the ongoing road construction around the Otedola Bridge end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

During a visit to assess the situation of things around the section of the expressway under construction on Thursday, newsmen observed that barricades had been placed on both lanes of the expressway to make the road narrow.

The motorists and commuters, while lamenting over the situation, were heard complaining that the road had become narrow due to the construction, and had slowed down vehicular movements.

The situation, however, worsened as the slow movement of vehicles caused such traffic that prolonged peoples’ journey to their various destinations.

A motorist, Adenike Okedeorun, while lamenting over the incident, said what made the traffic situation to become worse was that motorists resorted to plying a one-way direction.

He said, “Due to the road construction, people drove through one way as the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway was obstructed. So, people had to pass through the 7up Road to make a U-turn before heading to their destinations while those who go to the Magodo area passed through Otedola Bridge instead of the express. The road construction started from Lagos Ibadan Expressway down to Otedola Bridge.”

A civil servant, Yemisi Adeniyi, said the traffic caused by the construction made her spend hours on a journey that should have lasted 15 minutes.

She said, “I am seriously affected by the road construction because a journey of 15 minutes usually takes me two hours to get to work every day. But we have to endure because it is for the good of everyone, so we have to bear with it.”

A civil servant who pleaded for anonymity, said, “In the interim, there is going to be a delay because of traffic but there will be no problem when the construction is completed. I am affected by the diversion on the expressway and now I have to pass through Ikeja to get to my destination.”

The Lagos State Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps, Olusegun Ogedengbe, said the construction was expected and the road was reduced from four to two lanes.

He said, “The inflow and outflow of traffic are natural in Lagos State, the four lanes which were reduced to two lanes are expected. It is taking three kilometres from Otedola to Kilometre zero and we cannot postpone the ongoing construction, it has to be done.

“We have deployed some men of the FRSC to monitor the flow of traffic between OPIC and Warawa areas and we are making sure that there is no traffic. I apologize for any inconveniences members of the public may face as regards the road construction.”

Efforts to reach the Controller of Works, Federal Ministry of Works, proved abortive.

Punch / Titilayo Kupoliyi

Politics

OGHA Recommends Probe Of Former OPIC MD, Odusolu

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The Ogun State House of Assembly wants financial crimes investigation agencies in the country to probe a former Managing Director of Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation, OPIC, Mr. Babajide Odusolu with a view to recovering the sum of 2 billion naira allegedly missing from the corporation’s account during his tenure.

The lawmakers made the pronouncement after adopting the report of its Committee on Public Accounts and Anti-Corruption, which considered the 2015-2019 State Auditor-General’s report on the commission.

Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Musefiu Lamidi, had moved a motion for the adoption of the report which was seconded by Mr. Oludaisi Elemide and unanimously supported by other lawmakers.

The legislators also directed the former Managing Director of OPIC to pay back the sum of 40 million naira that was discovered to be unaccounted for in year 2019 into the state’s coffers within six months.

The lawmakers also submitted that the embargo placed on six hundred and eight (608) million naira in 16 banks accounts belonging to OPIC be lifted to enable the corporation access the funds for developmental projects and investments.

Oluwatoyin Adegoke

Security

We will work on ending tanker explosions – Gov. Abiodun

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Ogun and Lagos State governments are collaborating with relevant stakeholders to work out the modalities to check incessant gas explosions in both states.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun stated this during a visit to the scene of a gas explosion that razed Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation, OPIC Plaza in Ikeja, Lagos.

Governor Abiodun said the two states would work with the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, and others to ensure that all tankers carrying petroleum products were critically examined to ascertain their road worthiness. 

Governor Abiodun who commended the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, for its prompt response, gave the assurance that the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, signed recently by the two states would be explored to enhance the safety of lives and property of the people. 

The governor who described the OPIC fire incident as unfortunate sympathized with the families of those that were caught in the disaster and prayed God to comfort them.

Bolanle Adesida

Politics

Ogun House Of Assembly Probes OPIC Activities

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In continuation of the consideration of the financial reports of Ogun State Property and Investments Corporation, OPIC, between 2015 and 2019, the Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts and Anti-Corruption has revealed that the former Managing Director of the Corporation, OPIC, Mr. Jide Odusolu, disposed of a portion of its landed property which was purchased for over 515 Million Naira at Isheri and valued at 848 Million Naira at a giveaway price of 164 Million Naira.

It was alleged that the property was sold off barely ten days before the expiration of the last administration in May, 2019.

The Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Musefiu Lamidi, in company of his deputy, Abdul Bashir Oladunjoye, and other committee members questioned the former MD on why over 4 Million Naira could not be accounted for in the construction expenses of the MITRO Residence, Ibara, which was carried out during the period under review. 

The House Committee decried the manner in which the former MD spent the total sum of 881 Million Naira on the construction and procurement of equipment for the MITRO Residence at Ibara without the approval of the State House of Assembly, while the Committee members also requested for clarification on the role of the OPIC Board in the running of OPIC as well as the process of the project execution.

Mr. Lamidi further confronted the MD regarding the Corporation’s inability to keep fixed assets registers, likewise the non-availability of cash book and bank reconciliation statements on demand to external auditors, who equally noticed that from samples of daily cash schedules, cash receipts were not fully lodged.

All the infractions the lawmakers pointed out were in contravention of the Appropriation Laws for the period, as well as in contrast to the International Public Sector Accounting Standards, IPSAS and the State Financial Regulations, which equally mandated the keeping of up-to-date fixed assets register by government Ministries, Departments and Agencies.    

Consequently, the Committee directed Odusolu to re-appear on Wednesday, 25th November, 2020, the date he freely picked by himself as a convenient date, having taken permission to only stay for maximum of two hours for the day’s proceedings on account of ill health.

Odusulu was directed to avail the Committee of more documents and clarification on all records including projects and other transactions carried out under his watch.

Other details requested by the lawmakers included land sales, properties, lease amongst others with specifications of their respective location, sizes, type of building and cost facilities external to the building to be submitted on or before Wednesday, November 11th, 2020.

Responding, Mr Odusolu noted that though he didn’t secure the approval of the State House of Assembly for the Mitro project, he had the approval of the former Governor Ibikunle Amosun for the construction, noting that 40 Million Naira was part of funds spent in the course of the construction of the Mitro Residence. 

He claimed that the housing project at Isheri had been concluded under a shell company in construction, just as he disclosed that the law setting up the Corporation allowed the MD to report directly to the State Governor and not the Board.

Mr Odusolu assured the lawmakers that all other documents requested would be provided at the next proceeding of the House Committee.

Oluwatoyin Adegoke