L-R: An Engineer from the Lagos State Office of Infrastructure, Mr Tokunbo Oyenuga; Special Adviser to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye and a Town Planner, Oladimeji Animashaun, representing the Commisioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Omotayo Bamgbose-Martins during stakeholders with Eti-Osa Local Government Area residents towards dualisation of Alpha Beach Road at Alausa.
By Grace Alegba
The Lagos State Government on Thursday said it had given the deserved attention to infrastructure development and delivery for the wellbeing of the residents.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr Omotayo Bamgbose-Martins, said this at a stakeholders meeting held in Alausa for the dualisation of Alpha Beach Road, located in Eti-Osa Local Government Area.
The meeting, held with the Eti-Osa stakeholders, was jointly organised by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development in collaboration with its Works and Infrastructure counterpart.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Alpha Beach road, which is off Lekki-Epe Expressway, is also called Omo Oba Murphy Adetoro Road.
The project has a length of about 1.9km and width of 14.6m, and will link the proposed Coastal Road.
Bamgbose-Martins, represented by Oladimeji Animashaun, a town planner, said the project was in line with the THEMES Agenda, to improve traffic flow and assist the socio-economic development of the entire Eti-Osa axis.
He said the Sanwo-Olu administration began year 2023 on good note with inauguration of iconic projects such as the Blue Rail Line, Imota Rice Mill, Dangote Fertilizer Plant and the Eleko-Epe Road.
The dualisation of Alpha Beach Road is yet another that is capable of further articulating the economic potential of the Lekki axis as the development zone of the state.
Therefore, I make bold to say that this administration has earned a reputation as a progressive one that is paying the deserved attention to infrastructure development for a 21st-century Lagos, which is evident on many fronts, including education, public health, and transportation, where the state is growing rapidly as a result of the addition of the facilities required for the wellbeing of the people.
Therefore, I am elated that the proposed dualisation of Alpha Beach Road in Eti-osa Local Government Area is coming at this point in time when the populace are able to assess the government, based on the delivery of electoral promises of which transportation and traffic management are important components, he said.
The commissioner said the stakeholders meeting was organised to have inputs of residents, discuss issues Right of Way (RoW) recovery and other activities for the successful take off of the project.
Bamgbose-Martins said the meeting was well publicised to ensure adequate information on the modalities for the establishment of the RoW and other requirements for payment of compensation to affected property owners.
He appealed for support of the residents towards successful execution of the project while urging citizens to always comply with physical planning laws, build right and avoid illegal constructions.
The Special Adviser to Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, said the project was being executed in partnership with Zenith Bank under the governments Public Infrastructure Improvement Partnership Project.
She listed other projects being built in partnership with other private sector partners and commended Zenith Bank for the project and others it had undertaken in the past.
Adeyoye urged other private sector partners to join in such collaboration, while giving a brief of the project being upgraded to be built with rigid pavement to carry heavy axle load for longevity.
She assured that CCTV cameras would be included in facilities on the road project as requested by a stakeholder, for effective monitoring after completion by community development associations.
Adeyoye, however, expressed disappointment over absence of the members of the Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA) who were important stakeholders on the project alignment.
She said there was opportunity for further future engagement with stakeholders on the project while listing ongoing collaboration with the private sector in the area of road constructions.
I am a little disappointed that LERSA is not here, she said.
Adeyoye called for continued support of stakeholders to government while appealing to residents to take ownership of the project and prevent it from all forms of abuse prevalent on the Eti-Osa axis.
Earlier, while giving a brief, the Project Director, Mr Tokunbo Ajanaku, said the Alpha Beach Road constructed between 1990 and 1994 would be upgraded to a dual carriageway to connect 20 estates.
Ajanaku, a certified Engineer from the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, said the project would also link the proposed Coastal Road project with proper drainage channel and service ducts for future passage of cables and utility lines.
He said that site clearance would warrant demolition of some properties on the Right of Way, adding that, efforts were made through design adjustments to reduce the number of houses to go down.
Stakeholders at the event including Mr Uneku Okpanachi, a lawyer, took turns to raise concerns which were addressed.
However, Mr Dayo Joshua, who earlier appealed for inclusion of CCTVs in the project, also called for rehabilitation of inner estate roads that were destroyed as a result of traffic diverted on them for take-off of the main project.
Alhaji Razak Olokooba, a civil society representative from Eti-Osa, applauded the government, saying it was not right to give commendation for good deeds and not to always give negative commentaries.
We are interested in the good things you are doing for the people so that we can balance it, he said.
Edited by Oluwole Sogunle
Source: NAN News