We lost N25b to poor Lagos road – Dangote

The proposal was for the concreting of the expressway from Creek Road  to Liverpool and through Marine Beach to Oshodi, Oworonsoki and toll gate on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Dangote got Federal Government’s nod to reconstruct the road in 2018 at N72.9 billion and to enjoy 10 years tax rebate.

Since work commenced in 2018,  there has been traffic lockdown in the Iganmu area of Lagos and the Mile 2 –Oshodi –Oworonsoki axis of the road.

Efforts by the Lagos State Government and other agencies to tackle the problem have not yielded lasting solution.

During the inspection, Fashola said the Federal Government was committed to “speedy completion of the highway to provide a lasting solution to the problems of bad roads and gridlock ’’ faced by motorists, passengers, businesses  and residents of the areas affected.

Dangote lamented that the congestion at the ports, caused by gridlock had resulted to his group losing about N25 billion in accruable revenue from 2017 to the 2019 financial year.

He praised the quality of work taking place on the road, saying that the development was reviving commerce in the Apapa area.

He said: “This road will actually open up the economy. It will bring a lot of jobs and a lot of factories that have moved out will be able to move back.

“What I can also assure you is that this road will be finished before the end of next year.’’

Dangote, who is Africa’s richest man, commended the cooperation of Apapa residents, noting that the development was responsible for the progress of the reconstruction.