₦airaland Forum

@dis guy, the story keeps changing.

Initially, we were told that the coastal road is phase 2 of the project but that it is dependent on LASG developing coastal barriers (something I haven't seen yet).

When protests started, LCC told us they would provide alternative routes.

When the noise about the alternative route started getting loud, LCC claimed the alternative route is the responsibility of LASG.

Now, the LCC fliers are telling us that the coastal road will be phase 2 and tolled!

I am still waiting for anyone to tell us where the alternative road between 2nd round about and 4th/chevron rounabout is!

The presence of a single route presents the risk of a single point of failure. I.e the area becomes inaccessible when there is major problem on that single route.

“it seems there are no minor feeder roads everyone is just staying put"

Dis Guy's post above

^^^^
Goes to prove the point being made all along about the absence of an alternative route.

The protest would have been less effective if an alternative route existed!

I am told there is protest against tolling going on along the expressway right now. I cannot confirm this as I am not on ground to do so. Can anyone confirm this?

^^^^

Why the Lekki-Epe Road deserves our cooperation .
Monday, 09 August 2010 00:00 By Olugbemi Hassan Opinion - Columnists

I WAS in London early last year when Project Finance International named the 50 Km Lekki-Epe Expressway Project as a worthy development model. The project alongside a power project in Southern Africa had won international recognition and awards in the public private partnership category. I felt a good sense of pride about Nigeria and thought it was truly remarkable that local and international financiers had come together to fund a public-private, non-oil project of this magnitude. Surely this must be saying something about steadily growing confidence in our democracy.

In a nutshell, the Lekki-Epe Expressway was concessioned to a private company, the Lekki Concession Company, LCC, on a Build Operate and Transfer basis by the Lagos State Government some years ago. LCC is therefore mandated to rebuild and fully rehabilitate the expressway and operate it for a number of years, during which it is expected to recover its investment and thereafter hand the road back to its owners, the Lagos State Government.

Last January, when I returned to Nigeria, because this trip of only a few kilometres would take hours of sweaty frustration, we would wake up at 5a.m. and be off to our offices as early as 6 a.m., only to meet a bedlam on the expressway. We would eventually get to the office just before 8 a.m., drained physically and emotionally. While here in June, it was a pleasant surprise to see that I could commute from my organisation’s guest house in Lekki Phase One Estate to our Victoria Island offices in less than half an hour. It took the completion of the expressway up to the new second Lekki Roundabout for this harrowing experience to stop. Now, I would leave the Lekki Estate at 7a.m. and be in my VI office by 7.30a.m.

The road has also been considerably expanded. For instance the bridge segment beside Mobil’s Headquarters which used to have four lanes (with two lanes on either side of the road) has been expanded into eight lanes, with four lanes on either side. In addition, a ramp is being constructed near Caverton Helicopters to link Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, directly with Falomo bridge. This way, traffic from the Lekki end going towards Ikoyi and the Lagos Mainland can go directly onto Falomo bridge without needing to first veer off into Adeyemo Alakija Street.

The entire stretch of the completed road itself is a sight to behold. It is well-finished, maintained constantly and fully lit at night. Indeed at night, a set of officers patrol the expressway and render help to vehicle users whose vehicles may have broken down or suffered one problem or the other. A colleague whose car broke down on the expressway narrated how these route patrol officers came to her rescue, providing her with a battery to restart her car as her battery had run flat and in the process even availing her of a phone with which to call her family as her mobile phone had chosen to go dead at the same time.

What we have seen so far of this road, compares with road infrastructure elsewhere in the world and I must say it represents a very big step forward for Lagos and a good lesson to government at various levels on how to tap private sector expertise in the management of infrastructure. I have, however, been surprised at the sheer misunderstanding which many people tend to have about the Lekki Road and the rather widespread misinformation which this has tended to generate.

True, one of the highpoints of people’s worry is whether or not there will be alternative routes to the toll road. Of course, alternative routes should be made available. But the concessionaire has stated quite a few times that the State Government would provide alternative routes as it is duty bound to. An alternative route already exists for the first toll point for instance. Using the Ligali Ayorinde and Oniru Market Roads, it is possible to bypass the first toll point and yet get on the expressway. The Lagos State Government needs to step up its publicity in this regard to allay the fears of the citizens and inform them of its plans to construct alternative routes for each of the other two toll points which we are told, will be on the expressway.

Related to the question of alternative routes is the critical issue of tolling itself, moreso as LCC has yet to notify the public of the tariffs even though it has promised that it will do so no less than 14 days in advance. Naturally, many people are worried as to what the eventual tolls would be. What LCC needs to do in conjunction with the Lagos State Government is to ensure that whatever tariffs are charged are such as are readily affordable and do not over-burden citizens in anyway. The poor conditions under which the majority of our citizens live and the harrowing struggle with which they eke out a daily living, imply that this is a fact that cannot be over-emphasized. Even though LCC has assured that the tariffs will have a human-face, adding that there will be sundry discount incentives for frequent road users and danfo public transport vehicles, it needs to make this point even more poignantly in the days to come, to re-assure the people.

At the very extreme, however, are critics who argue that tolling is unnecessary and an added taxation burden on the citizens especially those who reside on the Lekki-Epe axis. But tolling is in this instance, unavoidable, as it represents the only viable way by which the local and international financiers of the project can recoup their investment. Tolling by the way is not a novelty and is employed in various countries across the world for the same purposes of infrastructure development. The 52-kilometre urbanised stretch of the Bakwena Platinum Highway in South Africa has six toll gates on it. It is not true either, as some have argued, that tolling is only applied to totally new roads and not pre-existing roads.

The Bakwena Platinum Highway, the N3 between Johannesburg and Durban in South Africa and the N4 Highway that links Pretoria and Botswana were substantially existing roads before they were concessioned to private companies for rehabilitation 10 to 15 years ago, and have 30-year toll concessions. Another is the Indiana Highway in the USA which serves as a critical transport link between highways leading to major East Coast cities and northwestern Indiana, the city of Chicago and the western USA. That highway was concessioned by the State of Indiana to a private company about four years ago, for 75 years. The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, recently concessioned by the Federal Government is yet another example.

There has also been the question of the propriety of tolling on a road when only a fraction of what is supposed to be a 50-kilometre expressway has been completed. The point, however is that a road is a depreciating asset as wear and tear sets in, once it is put to use. Unless it is regularly maintained and repaired, it quickly falls into the same state of disrepair that preceded its construction or rehabilitation. And even this of course, costs money. What investor, local or foreign would want to wait for four years for a 50-kilometre road to be finalised before it begins to recoup its investment, knowing that the parts of the asset it has already built are being worn down literally-speaking on a daily basis, and that it is having to fork out significant sums of money to maintain and repair the asset while the rest of it is still being constructed?

The Lekki-Epe Expressway is a remarkable stride by the Lagos State Government in tackling the growing city’s infrastructure challenges and for which it deserves commendation. The government and the concessionaire, however, need to do a better job of public education and enlightenment. The public, on the other hand must hold the duo accountable for ensuring that the road remains in top form and that in every way including lighting, vehicle recovery, emergency and other services being rendered, value is being rendered to the people of the state who traverse this road. On their part the LCC and the Government must also ensure that toll tariffs are reasonable and bearable by the generality of the public.

For a project which holds so much promise to help open up the Lekki-Epe axis of Lagos, enhance movement from place to place even while safeguarding life and property, and in general fast tracking economic growth and development, surely this project deserves far more support and accolades locally than it has gotten so far.

• Hassan, a development economist, works with an investment organization in the United States.

Source: http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19458:-why-the-lekki-epe-road-deserves-our-cooperation&catid=38:columnists&Itemid=615

How are we sure she is a virgin?

Published 8/5/2010 2:32:00 AM

Lagos okays study of 186km coastline

Mudiaga Affe

Lagos State Government on Wednesday said it had commissioned the study of its 186km coastline, to determine the rise of the Atlantic Ocean water level, with a view to putting in place measures to mitigate possible impact.

The coastal study, which covers Epe to Badagry, has been awarded to Messrs Royal Haskonind of the Netherlands.

The Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Mr. Adesegun Oniru, who disclosed this in Lagos, explained that the contract was awarded to the company because of its expertise and the fact that its country of origin and operation had properly managed its coastline; bearing in mind that it is a nation situated below the water level.

He lamented that federal agencies collecting dues from vessels navigating Lagos waterways had not taken any step to remove ship wrecks that had been an environmental threat to the state.

According to him, the state could not, in the face of obvious threat to its territory, ignore the situation but had to act to forestall a possible disaster.

He gave the assurance that efforts were being put in place by government to ensure that the abandoned vessels at Lekki were removed, adding that action would commence soon.

Oniru also disclosed that the same problem of ocean erosion, which occurred as a result of shipwrecks, was witnessed in Okunde, an area situated between Oniru and Elegushi estates. He said it was the state government that solved the problem.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/Article2Print.aspx?theartic=Art201008052324710

^^^^

Don't forget to invite us o!

^^^

Thanks!

babapupa:
Btw, the way, would you like me to list all the projects commissioned so far this year in Ikorodu or the mainland in general?

I am interested in that (for my education o!).

Please list.

Sagamite:
Have you ever been abroad?

That's a good one!

Govt summons contractor over N89.5b Lagos-Ibadan highway project .

Monday, 02 August 2010 00:00 By Emmanuel Badejo


THE Minister of State for Works, Dr. Chris Oghiemwonyi said in Lagos at the weekend that the Federal Government had not ruled out the possibility of revoking the N89.5 billion road construction project concessioned out to the firm Messrs Bi-Courtney Consortium.

He told journalists, however, that efforts were already being made to ensure that the concessionaire moved to site and commence work.
According to him, the Ministry of Works had summoned the chairman of the firm, Dr. Wale Babalakin to Abuja, and warned that failure to do the right thing might lead to terminating the contract.

“We are going to enforce repairs under the palliative measures. You will see a change in the next one month. As a matter of fact, we recently called the chairman of the company to Abuja and we told him that he must do the right thing.”

The journey to the concession started in 2007 when the previous administration invited proposals for the project. Bi-Courtney is currently running the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal 2 (MMA2) under a Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) arrangement.

The Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili, had announced the concessioning of the road to Messrs Bi-Courtney Consortium after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on April 15, 2009 in Abuja. She said that the concessionaire would reconstruct and modernise the highway and recoup its investment through toll collection.

The Federal Executive Council approved the N89.53 billion concession with a period of 25 years under a Design, Build, Operate and Transfer (DBOT) Scheme with 100 per cent funding by the concessionaire.

Works Minister Mohammed Sanusi Daggash, who x-rayed challenges faced in the course of efforts to provide standard infrastructure in the nation, urged stakeholders to seek alternative sources of funding, adding that budgetary allocations were far behind the enormous demand for infrastructure.

Daggash listed some of the challenges as non-existence of I.C.T tools, contractors’ competence – as many contractors lack requisite expertise and equipment – poor project definition, and politicisation of road projects.

But he said that the ministry had mapped out plans to intervene in urgent road maintenance works through creation of road camps/observation units, setting up work units within the states to undertake road repairs under a rapid response strategy and improved staffing efficiency.

Five funding options were recommended. They are intervention funding – similar to such given to banking, power, aviation, textile, health and housing sector projects, and medium term involving the use of pension funds, PTDF, private and staff pension funs, ITF, ETF, auto council, adding that more than N3 trillion is available for investment.

Other options are long term funding through the issuance of sovereign bond that would be tied to specific road projects and in foreign currency denominated, investing in private equity infrastructure fund also on a long-term basis and concession of roads and bridges, said could be on a short to medium term.

Source: http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=18682:govt-summons-contractor-over-n895b-lagos-ibadan-highway-project&catid=25:property&Itemid=655

And here's a "black" member of the German U20 team- Eunice Beckmann. She is 19!

BTW, she is a fan of Jay Jay Okocha.

Source: http://www.uefa.com/womensunder19/news/newsid=1494001.html

Here's Popp in the secnior national team wearing jersey no 11.

Does she look younger than the other members of the team who are older than 20?

deleted - duplicated post

I have no doubt in my mind that any of the German girls in their U20 team is actually less than 20 years of age.

If that same team had been a Nigerian team, a number of Nigerians would cry wolf- insinuating that the players are actually older than 20.

In particular, they would point to players such as the tournament's highest goal scorer, Alexandra Popp and the goalkeeper, Almuth Schult both of whom look older than 20 because of their rugged looks.

I clearly heard the commentator of yesterday's match say that most of the German girls are presently university undergraduates. What do you expect a university undergraduate to look like?

I have heard a number of people insinuate that our own players are older than 20.  When going for a competition of this nature, you choose girls based on their skills and toughness. This is not a game for weaklings.  It is not a beauty contest.

Popp is currently a member of the German full national team. If she had been a Nigerian, that would have been another source of wahala

I have attached pictures of Popp here so we can see what a 19 year old german girl looks like. Take a good look at picture 2

Take a look at nos 1,6,11,19,20 of the German team. They are all under 20 years of age yet they look more mature than that!

And here's a "black" member of the German U20 team- Eunice Beckmann. She is 19!

BTW, she is a fan of Jay Jay Okocha.

Source: http://www.uefa.com/womensunder19/news/newsid=1494001.html

Here's Popp in the secnior national team wearing jersey no 11.

Does she look younger than the other members of the team who are older than 20?

I have no doubt in my mind that any of the German girls in their U20 team is actually less that 20 years of age.

If that same team had been a Nigerian team, a number of Nigerians would cry wolf- insinuating that the players are actually older than 20.

In particular, they would point to players such as the tournament's highest goal scorer, Alexandra Popp and the goalkeeper, Almuth Schult both of whom look older than 20 because of their rugged looks.

I clearly heard the commentator of yesterday's match say that most of the German girls are presently university undergraduates. What do you expect a university undergraduate to look like?

I have heard a number of people insinuate that our own players are older than 20.  When going for a competition of this nature, you choose girls based on their skills and toughness. This is not a game for weaklings.  It is not a beauty contest.

Popp is currently a member of the German full national team. If she had been a Nigerian, that would have been another source of wahala

I have attached pictures of Popp here so we can see what a 19 year old german girl looks like. Take a good look at picture 2

Take a look at nos 1,6,19,11,20 of the german team. They are all under 20 years of age yet they look more mature than that!

Check this out!



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKlucE-5nIM&feature=topvideos

Please embed, if you can!

Kobojunkie:
ROFLMAO!!! so it is now one man's Lagos .and another man's america?

I am glad someone finally corrected part of your post there. For the rest, I would hope you would do some research of your own to figure out how wrong your FLorida/Newyork comparison there is .

I am not correcting the statement.

I just find it interesting that just as some would sell all their properties just to come and squat in Lagos, many are also selling their properties in Nigeria (Lagos) just to go and squat in America or Europe.

Don't you think its profound?

Fashola flags off Lagos Rail Mass Transit project
July 26, 2010 11:01PM

The governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, on Monday, flagged off the World Bank-assisted Lagos State Rail Mass Transit project at the Orile tanker terminal on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

The project, which is being executed by a Chinese firm, China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), has a completion deadline of five years.

Mr. Fashola expressed joy that the project, first conceived by the Second Republic UPN government in the state, had become a reality.

“This project which was attempted 30 years ago but was truncated has finally taken off. “The project when completed will transform rail transportation in the state and bring a lot of relief to the people,” said Fashola, who was represented by the Managing Director of the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Agency (LAMATA), Dr Tayo Mobereola.

Mr. Fashola promised that the government would ensure that the rail project which started a year ago was completed on schedule.

The Deputy Manager, CCECC, Shi Hongbing, promised that the project would be completed within the stipulated period of five years.

Mr. Hongbing said: “The CCECC Nigeria promises to perform its best for the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Project having been tested and found capable in other areas of construction.’’ The project’s engineering consultant, Robert Searth, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the project, which is in two phases, would require five years to complete because of the elevation of the rail tract from Marina to Orile-Iganmu.

He said that the project, which would cost more than 500 million dollars (N75 billion) would include the construction of a bridge to connect Lagos Island with other parts of the metropolis.

Mr. Searth said that the construction of rail tracks from Iddo to Okokomaiko would take three years to complete while the Iddo-Marina axis would take two years.

Source: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/5599202-147/fashola_flags_off_lagos_rail_mass.csp

[quote author=Okija_juju link=topic=486703.msg6470515#msg6470515 date=1280383505]Its the greed for a quick and better life that makes most of these boys & girls sell off all their properties and head to lagos in hope and anticipation of a better life only to discover that the city can be a brutal place.[/quote]Somewhat profound but not all these people leave their villages out of greed. Some leave purely for simple economic and survival reasons.

Interestingly, your statement would still be profound if it reads:

Its the greed for a quick and better life that makes most of these boys & girls sell off all their properties and head to lagos the Americas and Europe in hope and anticipation of a better life only to discover that the city these places can be a brutal place.

Thanks!

I think this sort of design is ideal where there are land constraints (like in the first two pictures) or space contsraints (third picture).

In the case of the Expressway, I think there is still enough space particularly on the right side (eastward facing Epe).

Don't worrry. Our country is being fixed already.

FG examines N1trn Coastal road design
Jul 28, 2010
By Chris Ochayi

ABUJA—THE Federal Government, yesterday, set up a technical committee to conduct a detailed analysis of the design for the construction of N1 trillion coastal road in the Niger Delta region.

The coastal road will traverse all the states in the region, from Calabar to Lagos.

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, who set up the committee in Abuja, following presentation of the design by Pearl Consultants, a firm handling the design, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to the construction of the road.

Pearl Consultants had been engaged over the years by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for the design of the road.
The high powered committee was headed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Yahaya Abdullahi, with President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Registrar of COREN, representative of Pearl Consultants, Director of Works, Ministry of Works, Director of Infrastructure in the Ministry, among others as members.

The Committee was charged with conducting a detailed analysis of the design as produced by Pearl Consultants and to make appropriate recommendations to the Ministry.

Orubebe observed that there might have been a mix up initially on whose responsibility it was to construct the Niger Delta coastal road, adding, however, that the late President Yar’Adua, in his counsel directed the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to handle the construction of the road as well as other interstate roads in the region.
He said: “Because of the lacuna, I had to invite the consultant handling the project, Registrar of COREN, President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, due to the real engineering engagement required because of the terrain of the Niger Delta.”

The Minister said the meeting was convened at the instance of the President.

Importance ofcoastal roads
Reiterating the importance of the Niger Delta coastal roads, Elder Orubebe said that when completed it would not only enhance the economic well being of the troubled region, but would also aid the amnesty programme by creating jobs for several youths of the region.

He said the youths could be gainfully engaged as unskilled and skilled labour force as a way of disengaging them from unbecoming agitations.

While expressing how valuable the project was to Mr President, Orubebe noted that with all hands on deck, the construction of the roads, no matter the challenges was an achievable venture. He said the Ministry had executed an assignment of such magnitude in the past, and as such would not be afraid to attain such lofty height with the coastal road network.

Those at the event included Minister of State, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Hon. Samuel Ode, representative of NDDC, president of Nigerian Society of Engineers, Registrar of COREN, and Pearl Consultants which was led by Engr. Mayne David West, as well as other key stakeholders.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/07/28/fg-examines-n1trn-coastal-road-design/

^^^^
Could you break this down for me?

Illustrations will be helpful.

Thanks.

[quote author=Okija_juju link=topic=486703.msg6462631#msg6462631 date=1280294063]If this is where I'm thinking, I always feel bad looking at it whenever I am in Nigeria.
One time, I just landed from Paris, and was being driven to the hotel. On the bus were some white guys with whom I flew in. As soon as we were on third mainland bridge heading towards Victoria Island, they all whipped out there cameras and started taking pictures. I was so ashamed I slumped low into my seat.

I think the government needs to do sumtin about that place. It is an eyesore. Either they redo it and make it more attractive, or they drive everyone out of there. It is both a health harzard and a national embarassment.[/quote]I have also witnessed the same thing (foreigners whipping out their cameras to film the place) several times on Third Mainland Bridge!

It's as if they tell them when coming to Lagos to look out for that place!

I'm sorry to burst the bubble but I read in a newspaper sometime last year where the Governor's special adviser  (Ganiyu Johnson, I think) said that the fourth mainland bridge is "furiristic" and might not be done until about 20 years. It was written in an obscure part of the newspaper where most people would not see the news item. I expected that such a news item should carry a screaming headline.

I know many people who "took position", as is often said in the investment world, by rushing to buy land at Ikorodu in anticipation of the bridge. The thinking was that "if I can't afford land at Lekki, I can buy on the other side of the bridge"

Many have these plots just lying fallow now with the owners stil hoping that something would be done soon.

Here’s a write-up by one  Frank Uzuegbunam in Thisday some years ago (definitely before 2007) which he titled ‘The Funso Williams Postulation‘:

A man who governs a state like Lagos State for complete eight years under civilian dispensation with iron grip and control of the legislature like Bola Tinubu should be able to point out the specific developmental projects and initiatives, which has impacted on the people of the state. Funso Williams believes that the areas in which historians, commentators and analysts will assess Tinubu in future will be on three major planks: education, infrastructure and inter-governmental relations. The interesting thing about his candid analysis is that none is done in isolation of past administrations of Lagos State.

For instance, he pointed out that it took the Tinubu administration three years to resuscitate a project as small as the water project in Dolphin Estate and Onikan whereas Jakande built numerous mini-water works in a jiffy. On roads, all Tinubu has to show after five years in office are Awolowo road Ikoyi, Itire-Lawanson-Ojuelegba road, Kudirat Abiola road and Ikotun-Igando road. None of these roads have a bridge content or serious engineering structure or challenge. They were mere reconstruction. According to Funso Williams, for the Tinubu government "to be ranked along other governments of Lagos state, noted for the provision of vital breakthrough in road construction, it has to at least complete the 4th Mainland Bridge, Lekki-Osborne Road, Opebi-Mende extension and the Ejigbo-Ajao Estate linkage before 2007, after all, they are all projects they promised to deliver." Brig. Mobolaji Johnson (rtd) constructed the Lagos-Badagary road and Ikorodu-Itoikin road, Jakande and Late Mudasiru constructed Maroko-Epe road, Mudasiru constructed the Carter Bridge West Ramp(a federal project), Mobolaji Bank-Anthony Way flyover(a federal project) and Kodesoh-ObaAkran flyover. Akhigbe and Marwa extended Ikorodu road from Ketu to Ikorodu town round about (federal project), Akhigbe and Rasaki completed the 3rd Mainland Bridge largely with funds from IBB and Oyinlola built the Opebi-Oregun road and bridge.

One might say that most of the past administrations of Lagos State mentioned were Military and they readily received co-operation of the federal government but then what of the Jakande administration? Not only was he a civilian governor, he belonged to the opposition government to that of the Shagari administration at the center. He knew when not to be confrontational in order to get things done for the state. For instance, he not only secured the much needed Federal guarantee for his Metro line project, he brought President Shehu Shagari to launch the project at Yaba. Jakande maintained some Federal roads without erecting signboards to score cheap political points and embarrass the federal government. If you still bring in the military era perspective, Military Governors that got greatest favors from the center were the ones with close affinity to the Commander-in-Chief. Thus, Tinubu's failing in the area of inter-governmental relations according to Funso Williams is a major blow and set back for the people of Lagos State.

I am aware that a lot of taxpayers' money has gone into trying to re-write history and the stewardship of Tinubu especially through massive investment in publicity and propaganda that often times offend our sensibilities. Maybe, the remaining years of his tenure might let him backup those spins with concrete achievements like the completion of the 4th Mainland Bridge et al as demanded by Funso Williams. I must confess that I understand the enormity of the challenge. The bitter truth is that the Lagos State Government has not made any progress on the 4th Mainland Bridge it announced without any study. If the state were serious, by now we ought to have seen the BOT contractor's boats doing the hydrological surveys of probable alignments to facilitate the preliminary engineering design of the project. This project, thus, stands an illusion and the state should be honest to say so rather than keep wetting the appetite of Lagosians. The question now is; will Tinubu's government ever rise above the reconstruction of easy existing roads at astronomical cost syndrome Funso Williams observed? Most unlikely! So Lagosians should not be surprised if Tinubu begins another round of expensive political reconstruction and beautification of existing roads that will not have a marked improvement on general travel time or stress levels between now and his 2007 exit.

Source: http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2004/08/14/20040814pol02.html


Up till 2008, the government w[b]as still confident that it was a project they would handle during the life of the present administration:[/b]
Lagos 4th Mainland Bridge to gulp N160bn

By Kemi Obasola
Published: Thursday, 10 Jan 2008

The Lagos State Government has said that its proposed Fourth Mainland Bridge will gulp N160bn.
Governor Babatunde Fashola on Wednesday said a survey had already been conducted for the project.
Fashola spoke in his Alausa Secretariat office while receiving members of the Silverbird Television Group on Wednesday.
He said the government was only waiting for the Environmental Impact Assessment report for work on the bridge to begin.
Fashola added that the project was being delayed because of inflation, adding that the government would ensure its completion before the end of its tenure. The governor noted that the construction of the bridge was part of his electoral promises and that he would ensure its fulfilment.
He said, “The 26-kilometre Fourth Mainland Bridge will commence from Langbasa in Lekki, Eti-Osa Local Government Area and will link Victoria Island to Ipakodo, a Lagos suburb in the Ikorodu Local Government Area.
“The road will provide access from the hinterland to Victoria Island, which will reduce traffic on the ever-busy Third Mainland Bridge and other bridges linking the mainland to the island.”
Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art200801101572593

In recent times, the government has become very circumspect in talking about the project:Nigeria: Lagos to Spend N30 Billion On Road Infrastructure
Olasunkanmi Akoni
30 April 2009
THE Lagos State Government has budgeted N30 billion for road infrastructure development in 2009 fiscal year just as it has awarded contract for a bridge that will link Osborne Road, Ikoyi with the Lekki Expressway as part of effort to decongest traffic in the area.Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Mr Ganiyu Johnson, disclosed this yesterday while briefing the press on the activities of his ministry in the last one year to commemorate the second year in office of Governor Babatunde Fashola.

According to Johnson, the amount which was budgeted for 2008 and 2009 fiscal year is to take care of upgrading/rehabilitation.
The road infrastructure statistics showed that in the year 2008, a total amount of N14,392,343,123,126 was budgeted on rehabilitation of road infrastructure while N7,000,0000,0000 was also budgeted for the 2009.

To the special adviser, the last two years in the state have been a very challenging experience to his ministry, stressing that the state within the years under review has turned into a huge construction site where projects are ongoing in all the 57 local government areas.

On the Osborne-Ikoyi link bridge, he said Governor Fashola had already awarded contract for the construction of the bridge to Messrs Julius Berger, adding that work has already commenced on the project.

He said the state government was still interested in the much touted Fourth Mainland Bridge, adding that members of the public would be informed at the appropriate time.[/b]Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200904300579.html

[b]But again, if you consider what it takes to get this kind of project of the ground, even in a PPP arrangement, you might begin to understand the dilemma of the government. Here's Fashola speaking on the problems with the take-off of the Lekki-Epe expressway:
According to Governor Fashola, even after the assurance by the State Government, the Concessionaire still did not commence work until the Government supported the agreement with a law passed by the representatives of the people in the State House of Assembly and the Federal Executive Council deliberated and passed a resolution on it.

Source: http://brfashola.org/2010/07/26/fashola-seeks-peace-between-stakeholders-and-concessionaire-of-lekki-epe-expressway/


The issue is that they should not have promised without counting the cost first.

I actually agree with the original poster that the bridge has been used as a campaign tool.

I vividly remember Tinubu asking us to "imagine" a fourth mainland bridge in his 2003 campaign advert.

We are still imagining it!