The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has said the Federal Government will return toll gates to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway upon completion of the rehabilitation of the highway.
Fashola who was a guest on Channels Television‘s ‘Sunday Politics’, said about three toll plazas were expected on the highway after all works on the expressway have been completed.
The former governor of Lagos State projected that the rehabilitation of the road would be by December 2022.
Fashola noted that at least a toll gate is expected in the Lagos, Ogun (Ogere) and Ibadan axis of the expressway when completed.
While emphasizing that the Oyo State government is constructing a drainage facility around the Ojoo part of the expressway, which, according to him, had significantly slowed down the pace of work in that area, Fashola said he is optimistic that the work can be finished before the year runs out, as talks are already being held with the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to resolve the challenge.
The minister also unveiled the government’s plan towards finishing the Second Niger Bridge project in the South-Eastern part of the country.
Fashola said the current administration also plans to open the bridge before Christmas, despite the challenges facing the project.
“We are planning also before Christmas to open that to the public for use because that is when there is a large movement.
“Hopefully, by Christmas, it will be opened. That was the last meeting I had with the contractor about three weeks ago.”
According to Fashola, he has directed the contractor to see that the project is delivered before the deadline, adding that the main bridge deck has been completed.
