Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday inspected the site of the ongoing construction of the Pen Cinema Flyover, assuring that the project will be delivered in the next 10 months.
Governor Ambode, accompanied by key members of his cabinet, said the 1.4km Flyover which will run from Agege down to the Abeokuta Expressway, will be a key intervention strategy by his administration to address the perennial traffic often associated with the area.
Addressing scores of residents who thronged out to catch a glimpse of him, Governor Ambode said though the project might bring about some inconveniences, he assured them that the end result will change the face of Agege forever.
“I greet all the people in Agege community. This year will be a prosperous year for all of you. You know, I’ve always wanted to do something in this community, I want to reduce the sufferings that arise from the traffic congestion in this neighbourhood, so I have decided to do the Pen Cinema Flyover starting from the beginning of this road by Total and then run straight for one kilometre down and then an additional 400metres, totalling 1.4km to decongest this neighbourhood up to the Abeokuta Expressway.
“But you can see that I have inconvenienced you by the demolition that has taken place here. It is temporal. In the next 10 months by the grace of God, we will deliver this project by November 2018,” he said.
Appealing to residents and community leaders to cooperate with the contractor ahead of the planned closure of some parts of the road from Thursday, January 4, Governor Ambode assured residents whose properties were demolished to give way for the project would be adequately compensated.
“They are going to work day and night. But why am I here? First to appeal to you for those that we have demolished their properties, we will compensate you fully. Secondly, starting from Thursday, January 4, there would be partial closure of some of the roads here, so we have provided alternative routes where your vehicles will be passing. So, we would do this month by month, so that the area that we have finished, we would come back to the main road and Agege would never be the same again.
“We are bringing prosperity to your doorstep and I have come to appeal to everybody, community leaders, all our school children that you should not worry, it has come with a little pain, but by the time we come back at the end of the year, Agege will look like Victoria Island and Ajah. Everywhere we go, we know there is economic prosperity around that neighbourhood, so my coming here is to plead with you to bear with us and cooperate with us,” the Governor said.
While noting that the contractor will work day and night to deliver the project on schedule, the Governor said he would visit the site of the construction regularly to ensure the project is completed on time.
Earlier, Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Ade Akinsanya, while giving a brief of the project said on completion, it will permanently address the gridlock in the Agege axis.
Akinsanya said the planned restriction of movement will enable the contractor take full advantage of the weather and space to deliver seamlessly the critical aspect of the flyover construction that falls within the Pen Cinema roundabout and railway crossing at Old Abeokuta Road junction.
Governor Ambode also inspected the ongoing construction of the Oshodi Transport Interchange which is expected to be delivered by July 2018.
The project, on completion, will create a world class central business district with focus on transportation, security, environment and urban renewal.
The interchange has three-multi-storey bus terminals with waiting area, loading bays, ticketing stands, drivers lounge, parking areas, conveniences, surveillance tower and CCTV gadgets.
Other features include accessible walkways, pedestrian bridges/sky-walks to link the three terminals, shopping malls with street lighting and a dedicated security team on ground.