The Special Adviser on Media to the Ogun State Governor, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, on Monday, informed that the state government is still awaiting the final approval of the concession of the Abeokuta-Ota-Lagos Expressway.
Akinmade said the development was the reason why work is yet to begin on the highway.
The governor’s aide in a statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta recalled that the Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced last year, in October, during a briefing after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, that the Federal Government had finally concessioned the all-important road to the Ogun State Government to reconstruct after several efforts made to that effect by the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration.
The reconstruction was to be carried out under the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI), with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Federal Ministry of Finance involved in the process.
Akinmade said that although there is presidential approval for the concessions, there is no EXTRACT from Federal Executive Council (FEC) approving the concessions.
According to Akinmade, the procedure for the concession is not complete without FEC’s EXTRACT paper.
He noted that after deliberation and approval, the FEC will issue an extract from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), transferring the road to the Ogun State Government.
The special adviser said that the Ogun State Government is waiting anxiously for the FEC’s nod to proceed with the project.
He added that the FEC Extract is needed to raise funds for the project and also discuss with investors.
Commissioner for Works, Engr. Ade Akinsanya, had earlier said the state administration had been providing palliatives to make the roughly 70km road manageable for motorists.
“Ogun State has been rehabilitating the road since 2019. We keep doing palliative works because the governor is always concerned about the suffering being experienced by the people. He remains concerned about the deplorable state of the road until he got what he wanted from the federal government.
“With the transfer done now, we are happy and ready to immediately take over the project and turn around the fortunes of the road. It’s what we’ve been looking for, praying for since we came on board. We will take over immediately, subject to paperwork between us and the federal ministry,” he had said.