I started the campaign to terminate the concession contract of Lagos - Ibadan Expressway in 2011 !
Why FG should terminate Lagos-Ibadan expressway contract
Written by Wale Ojo Lanre
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Nigerian Tribune
The Federal Government should not hesitate to terminate the Lagos-Ibadan expressway concession contract awarded to Bi-Courtney Consortium on April 15,2009 in Abuja, if the consortium refuses to change its non challant attitude to this vital national engagement
Nigerians are not happy with the company's unimpressive efforts in executing a contract which it fought tooth and nail to win after a rigorous bidding session.
When the Lagos-Ibadan expressway concessioning contract was announced to Nigerians by the former Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on April 15, 2009 in Abuja, that the concessionaire would reconstruct and modernise the highway and recoup its investment through toll collection, and that the FEC had approved the concession at the cost of N89.53 billion with a concession period of 25 years under a Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) scheme, Nigerians jumped up and shouted Halleluyah!.
And when Professor Akunyili went further to reveal that the scope of work to be undertaken by the firm on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, include the full reconstruction of the existing carriageways, construction of additional lanes to the four-lane carriageway and provision of associated facilities for the security and welfare of the road users, which include electronic traffic control and enforcement measures; highway lighting between 7:00 pm and 6:00 am through the installation of a gas-fire plant; overhead pedestrian bridges on designated locations; modern toll points with electronic tolling system; modern road signs and lane markings commuters and frequent users of the road prayed for the Federal Government.
And also, the then Minister of Information informed the nation that "The investor's cost and return on investment will be recovered via tolls subject to regulatory guidance from the Federal Government and other charges on road support service such as trailer parks and rest areas. To ensure that the highway is in good condition throughout the concession period, routine and periodic maintenance will be carried out at a minimum level of service under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Works, Housing and Urban Development."
Nigerians heaved a sigh of relief saying that, one; their nightmares on this road would soon be a thing of the past, two; that the funding will not be subjected to the cumbersome administrative budgetary processes and thirdly, they were particularly happy that Bi-Courtney, a company which had a credible performance in BOTas exemplified by its handling of the MM2, had won the contract.
Raising the hope of Nigerians over the road was a testimony of assurance given to the nation by Dr Wale Babalakin, the chairman and CEO of the Bi-Courtney Consortium, when the road was formally handed over to him by the then Minister of Works, Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Hasan Muhammed Lawal, on Thursday September 3, 2009 at the Lagos Old Toll Gate, where the management of the firm promised to commence work on the road in January 2010.
His words: "We acknowledge that this, being the primary link between Lagos, Nigeria's main ports and the rest of Nigeria, is a road of serious economic and social importance to Nigerians. We are mindful, therefore, of potential inconveniences that the reconstruction, expansion and modernisation can cause to Nigerians.
"Our work plans have been phased in such a manner as to significantly reduce the stress encountered on the highway. We will begin with ameliorative works to restore the road to a semblance of its early 1980s image before the commencement of reconstruction and expansion work. More importantly, we seek the indulgence of the governors of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states for the speedy allocation of suitable locations for ancillary activities, including that of truck parks, which will enhance the enjoyment of the highway by Nigerians.
"We promise to carry out the required works as speedily as possible and above all, with minimal disruptions to traffic flow. We require the cooperation of all Nigerians, especially users of the highway."
The Minister of Works, however, urged the concessionaire to upgrade the road to an 'international expressway standard under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative.
Also, the Executive Director of the company, Dr Niyi Odunlami, told newsmen shortly after that, in the next four months, the company would engage in the construction of parks where trucks and trailers would be provided accommodation.
He also said that the road would be completed within 36 months. The 25-year concession period, he said, would begin from the day the company starts revenue collection on the road.
The then deputy governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, the officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states, Mr Jonas Agwu, Mr Kayode Olagunju and Mr David Mendie, respectively, were in attendance. Representatives of the Lagos State government, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police and National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) were among the guests at the event.
However, that was where the beauty stopped, as the company did not carry out any meaningful work on the road after 20 months.
In fact, the company has further compounded the traffic chaos on the road by closing some parts of the expressway and diverting traffic one way.
Nigerians plying the road on a daily basis have continued to complain of untold hardships on the road.
