The Federal Government has blamed heavy rainfall and gridlock for the delay in completing the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway by end of April.

The Director, Federal High Ways, South-West at the Ministry of Works and Housing, Ademola Kuti, disclosed this on Channels Television’s New At 10 on Sunday.

After failing the meet up with the December 2022 deadline for the completion of the road project, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola had set a new completion date of April 30.

Kuti said that the April deadline was not met because of rain and traffic.

“The earlier completion date of 30th of April which is today (Sunday), we were unable to meet that target because of some factors, majorly the heavy rain which we experienced since March and April and of course the unexpected heavy traffic,” he said.

He, however, assured motorists plying the route that the Federal Government is determined to complete the project but said he can’t give an exact date of completion as he can’t predict the weather.

“So, as we move into the next month (May), we expect that the rain will still be heavy and it will be a bit difficult but what we want to assure motorists is that we are determined is determined to complete this project, we are fully on ground.

“As a matter of fact, we opened access in the OPIC axis, that is from the Kara Bridge to the Long Bridge and what is left is just about a kilometre as you enter Lagos and then maybe another two kilometres as you are leaving Lagos and we are fully determined with enough men on ground to achieve this,” Kuti stated.