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More uselessness from another Federal Ministry. What a surprise.

FG to award Lagos-Ibadan rail contract soon – Jonathan
On July 6, 2011 · In News ,
By EMMA UJAH

ABUJA— PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, announced far-reaching measures towards accelerating the nation’s economic growth through boosting agricultural output and provision of infrastructure in which a Lagos-Ibadan speed train line contract would soon be awarded.

President Jonathan who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo said at the opening of the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending, NIRSAL, conference that contract will soon be awarded for a standard fast train link between Lagos and Ibadan.

The president who noted that the present infrastructure situation in the country was unacceptable, said his administration was tackling infrastructure deficit across the nation head-on.



He said electricity power supply and transportation were being given priority attention in recognition of their multiplier effects on other sectors of the economy.

The president lamented that the huge annual food import bill of N630 billion was crashing the nation’s foreign reserves said the Federal Government would establish six fertilizer plants, one in each geo-political zone, to make the product readily available to farmers for increased yield.

He added that River Benue would also be dredged up to Yola, Adamawa State.

President Jonathan said: “Robust economic growth can only be achieved if all the economic agents are judiciously committed working assiduously towards committing their resources to this noble course.”

He noted that the on_going programme for agriculture and food security would serve as a platform for preparing the road_map for the implementation of all government_assisted agricultural programme.

He admitted that although in the last five years, the agricultural sector has contributed about 40 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, and 60 per cent of employment, the encouraging growth has not sufficiently impacted on the socio_economic lives of the nation as Nigeria continued to depend on other nations for her food requirements.
Governor of Central Bank, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, had said that all well_informed Nigerians agreed that the nation had the potentials to be great and that agriculture presents the best path to that dream land.

He said: “This idea of common vision, therefore, is not new. What I think is new is the perspective of what has to be done, when, how and by whom.”

Sanusi called for the re_designing and embracing of a holistic approach in addressing the various challenges confronting the nation’s agricultural sector.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/07/fg-to-award-lagos-ibadan-rail-contract-soon-%E2%80%94jonathan/

ALERT!!!! Planned demolition of ALL structures 61m from Lagos Ibadan Expressway Ojota to Berger

Bicourtney started marking the structures from Ojota last week.

Developers and builders beware

Thanks for the update

About time too.

When will the deadline end exactly?

We are watching and waiting. . .

The story according to the former governor's newspaper:
--------------------------------------------------------------


Amosun leads squad to demolish Babalakin’s N1 billion plant .

Tuesday, 26 July 2011 00:56 Nigerian Compass Hits: 418 .   . .

LESS than 24 hours after the Federal Government gave Bi-Courtney Highway Services Limited a 60-day ultimatum to complete palliative works on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State Government at the weekend threatened to dismantle a $6.5 million (about N1 billion) asphalt plant the company bought for the project.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun, who personally led the team, comprising gun-totting, anti-riot policemen and some state government officials, ordered his men to dismantle the plant.

Besides, Amosun directed his government’s bulldozers to demolish the structure erected for the project by Bi-Courtney Highway Services, because he wanted to use the site for a trailer park and market.

The action came after the site had been approved by Amosun for Bi-Courtney “and we don’t know why he suddenly changed his mind,” said one of the workers.

But, for the resistance put by the Chief Security Officer of the concessionaire, Colonel Adeola Olabiyi (rtd), and his team, the governor would have pulled down the multi-million naira structure.



Despite this, the governor ordered the mobile policemen to lead one of the bulldozers to demolish the structure but when they saw the resistance of Olabiyi and his team, “they could not move and the governor felt disappointed that his order was not carried out”.

An eyewitness said: “We were really afraid. The governor told his policemen to draw their guns and the Bi-Courtney people also drew their guns. We thought they were going to start exchanging fire and for the fact that the governor was there, people started running. Can you imagine what could have happened if the two teams started shooting? I don’t know why the governor should personally lead the demolition squad. Is that the work of a governor? Why should he be going all over the place with policemen to terrorise people working legitimately?

“This is not the first time he would do this. The other time, he led policemen to a particular structure in Lagos and he was eventually embarrassed because the owner called the Inspector-General who ordered that all the policemen should leave the place. Why should the governor be embarrassing himself this way? Even military administrators didn’t behave this way. Thousands of motorists go through hell everyday on this road and now that they think that the road will be fixed, he has come again with his policy somersault. This action is shameful”.

In a statement issued yesterday, Bi-Courtney’s spokesman, Dipo Kehinde, described the action as a wrong move.

He said: “Since the grant of the concession, Ogun State Government was taken as a major partner, given that 80 per cent of the highway falls within the state.

“Ogun State was to give us land as its own contribution to the project. The former RCC yard was identified, visited and allocated to us by the Ogun State Government. The process entailed joint visit and assessment before allocation, following all due process.

“To buttress this fact, we duly settled the land owners, promptly, to demonstrate our commitment to the site. The payment to the landowners was done after due consultation with the state government and confirmation of the landowners at a joint stakeholders meeting with officials of the Bureau of Land. The state government actually brokered the meeting with the family land owners.

“A search was also conducted at the Ogun State Survey Directorate, and the search report revealed that the property is unencumbered.”

The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, had, on Sunday, issued a statement confirming that the state government had approved the site for Bi-Courtney, after the company submitted application for the use of the site on April 20, this year.

The Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, had, on Saturday, visited the RCC yard as part of his assessment tour, to see what Bi-Courtney has been doing and how the government could assist the company in making an early delivery of the project.

During the inspection tour, which began from the Old Toll-Gate office of Bi-Courtney at 9a.m., the minister pledged to give all necessary support to hasten work on the reconstruction of the road.

He mentioned the idea of involving army engineers in some aspects of the project, saying: “We shouldn’t saddle Bi-Courtney with the task of securing the Right of Way (ROW). We are going to bring in army engineers to assist.”

When asked if the ministry is considering the review of the concession with Bi-Courtney, Onolememen said: “No. There’s nothing like that. Bi-Courtney has been on track. There are processes in the execution of this project and the company has followed due process. The final design was approved on May 10.”

He said that the involvement of army engineers would help to secure the ROW, which is one of the major constraints in the execution of the project.

The Chairman of Bi-Courtney, Dr. Olawale Babalakin, had earlier raised the alarm, during a visit to the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, that some powerful interest groups are trying to frustrate the company’s efforts to deliver the project on time.

Said Babalakin: “Most people in Nigeria don’t know what concession is all about. There’s no road that has been done through concession in Nigeria before, apart from the Lekki-Epe Expressway, a 45-kilometre road that took the concessionaire five years to start the construction.

“Many people don’t want us to build that road. There have been several stumbling blocks. We’ve been having problems with many powerful mediocres. Many people, whose structures will be affected have gone to court. There are 55 illegal petrol stations on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.”

Onolememen told reporters in an interview that the Federal Government did the right thing by giving the road project out as a concession.

He said: “This is a modern way of financing projects in the country now, because it is clear to us that the budgetary allocation of the Federal Government cannot match the demand for road rehabilitation and reconstruction in this country.

“There are basic things we would do very quickly; we want to ensure that within 60 days that the sufferings on the road be reduced.

“The final design was approved in May, this year, by the Federal Ministry of Works; our estate valuers have just completed work on the enumeration of properties on the Right of Way last week. By September, full work should start. But, before then, areas requiring urgent repairs must be attended to.

“If you look at the agreement concerning the road, there are steps to be taken. In the past one year, there have been phases they (Bi-Courtney) have had to comply with.”

http://www.nigeriancompass.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2181:amosun-leads-squad-to-demolish-babalakins-n1-billion-plant&catid=54:nigeria-today

The same story according to the current governor's political party "newspaper":
-------------------------------------


Bi-Courtney accuses Ogun of stopping work on asphalt site
By Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta 5 hours 38 minutes ago


A row has broken out between Ogun State and Bi-Courtney Highway Services – the concessionaire to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

It is over the ownership of a site the company claimed it acquired for its asphalt plant.

The management of Bi-Courtney yesterday alleged that the state government has stopped it from working from the site.

The company’s spokesman, Dipo Kehinde, in a statement, said the move came less than 24 hours after the Federal Government gave the company a 60-day ultimatum to complete palhative work on the expressway.

He described the action as a wrong move.

But the state government has defended its action.

Kehinde said: "Since the grant of the concession, Ogun State government was taken as a major partner, given that 80 per cent of the highway falls within the state.

He said: "Ogun State was to give us land as its own contribution to the project. The former RCC yard was identified, visited and allocated to us by the Ogun State government. The process entailed joint visit, and assessment before allocation, following all due process.

"To buttress this fact, we duly settled the land owners, promptly, to demonstrate our commitment to the site. The payment to the landowners was done, after due consultation with the state government and confirmation of the landowners at a joint stakeholders meeting with officials of the Bureau of Land. The State Government actually brokered the meeting with the family land owners.

"A search was also conducted at the Ogun State Survey Directorate, and the search report revealed that the property is unencumbered."

The Ogun State commissioner for information, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, had, on Sunday, issued a statement confirming that the state government had approved the site for Bi-Courtney, after the company submitted application for the use of the site on April 20, 2011.

The Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, an architect, had, on Saturday, visited the RCC yard as part of his assessment tour, to see what Bi-Courtney has been doing, and how government could assist the company in making an early delivery of the project.

During the inspection tour, which began from the Old Toll-Gate office of Bi-Courtney at 9a.m., the Minister pledged to give all necessary support to hasten work on the reconstruction of the road.

Chairman of Bi-Courtney, Dr. Olawale Babalakin, had earlier raised the alarm, during a visit to the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye that some powerful interest groups are trying to frustrate the company’s efforts to deliver the project on time.

"Most people in Nigeria don’t know what concession is all about. There’s no road that has been done through concession in Nigeria before, apart from the Lekki-Epe Expressway, a 45-kilometre road that took the concessionaire five years to start the construction.


http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news/13646-bi-courtney-accuses-ogun-of-stopping-work-on-asphalt-site.html

“When two elephants fight, the grass suffers; and, when the same two elephants make love, the grass also suffers.” - African Proverb

Ogun repairs parts of Lagos-Ibadan expressway
By Dimeji Kayode Adedeji

July 28, 2011 11:31PM

In order to ameliorate the hardship being experienced by commuters on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway, the government of Ogun State has begun repair works on the completely dilapidated portion of the highway at Mowe, opposite the Redeemed Christian Church of God Camp.

While briefing journalists during an inspection tour of the road, the state commissioner for Works, Lekan Adegbite said the state government was uncomfortable with the "appalling" state of the 500-metre stretch of the road and its socio-economic cost to the indigenes of the state, who transact business on the axis.

"The state governor, Ibikunle Amosun was distressed by the horrendous hardship being imposed on the people by the dilapidated road and has therefore decided to effect its repair with or without the concessionaire, Bi-Courtney," Mr Adegbite said.

A major drainage is also being constructed along the stretch in order to ensure the durability of the repaired portion.

Ironically, the state government has been engaged in a battle of wits with Bi-Courtney, the company that won the federal government's concession to manage and repair the largely failed road about four years ago.

Controversial road

The company said the decision of the state governor to allocate a former construction site to tanker drivers who park indiscriminately along the road, is going to affect its work as it had previously won the right to make use of the place. But the state government said the agreement was never sealed and that it had to do something about the trailers, whose activities has led to several accidents and deaths.

The state has also launched remedial work on another failed federal road within its territory, the Lagos-Abeokuta road.

Shortly after a visit by the governor, Ibikunle Amosun to Sango-Ota, where he trekked several kilometres while inspecting the poor road network in the area, minor repairs were effected on the failed portions of the road, specifically at Joju, Garage, Dalemo and Toll Gate.




http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Home/5736110-146/story.csp

these people are not serious o! Just wasting time and money

So you believe the State Governments will channel these funds into the construction of Federal roads if allocated the funds.

Friday, 28 October 2011 03:17
Bi-Courtney repairs expressway
Written by Sesan Olufowobi

The concessionaire of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Bi-Courtney Highway Services Limited, on Thursday said it had fixed a portion of the road that collapsed at the Redemption Camp area.

A statement by BCHSL spokessman, Dipo Kehinde, said the firm had been working to keep the expressway in motor-able condition, while preparing for proper reconstruction scheduled to start in November.

Kehinde urged stakeholders to shun the propaganda by some people who were bent on stopping the progress of work on the highway.

He said, “We noticed that a portion of the road was falling apart, so, we moved in to repair it. Those who ply the highway know that BCHSL has kept on working, on a daily basis, to keep the road in motor-able condition, while we prepare for the major work next month.

“We have positioned five groups of workers on the road. Two groups for patching failed portions; two for cleaning, and one for repairing a failed portion at Ogere, where we are also improving the temporary trailer park to clear the bottleneck at that location.”

Kehinde said the company had completed its preparation and would finish the proper construction of the road before the projected date.

“In the last two months, BCHSL has worked on long stretches of the road at Ibafo. This work has contributed appreciably to ease traffic congestion normally experienced along the stretch. We have overlaid long stretches at Fidiwo, Sapade, Alapako, and Kilometre 90, near Ibadan; Fatgbems, at Isheri; Ibafo, and RCCG area. All potholes were patched,” Kehinde said.

http://www.punchng.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=2629:bi-courtney-repairs-expressway&Itemid=542

December 2011 00:05

Bi-Courtney blames bandits for gridlock

Written by  Sesan Olufowobi ⁠

Lagos-Ibadan expressway concessionaire, Bi-Courtney Highways Services Limited, on Sunday said the armed robbery incident that occurred near the Deeper Life Bible Church  centre was responsible for the Saturday gridlock at the Mowe-Ibafo area of the road.

 

A statement by the spokesman for BCHS, Dipo Kehinde, also said indiscipline and high volume of vehicles were another factors.

He said, “Motorists who were running for their lives, began to drive against the traffic, causing the chaos that took hours to resolve.

“An Editor with the National Mirror said his daughter, who was returning from school, saw it all. The gridlock was not caused by potholes. All eyes can see the improvement on the road. We have been keeping our promises and work is in progress.”

Kehinde said the Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mowe, Ogun State, Mr. Morakinyo Olalekan, commended the concessionaire for keeping the road safe through constant maintenance.

He added that the Head of Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps of Ogun government, Mowe/Ibafo unit, Mr. Gbenga Aderibigbe, agreed that the gridlock was caused by indiscipline and the volume of vehicles travelling in and out of Lagos for the end-of-year festivities.

Kehinde said, “According to Olalekan, there has been no record of road accidents this Yuletide on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway. He said there had  been ‘tremendous reduction” in the accident rate on the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway because the FRSC has intensified efforts in its patrol duty.

We have tow-trucks along the road. Broken down vehicles do and can cause accidents. We have also instructed our men on how to operate on the highway. The company has been working on the road and I must confess that it is fair now.”

Mods: puskin , naijacutee , dominique , FOD

Kindly move this thread to the properties section where it belongs, like its counterparts:

https://www.nairaland.com/2788913/whats-happening-lekki-axis-4

Thank you.

Just reading this thread from the start. Almost shed a tear- comical and tragic at same time!!

@lalasticlala

DisGuy:
Just reading this thread from the start. Almost shed a tear- comical and tragic at same time!!

@lalasticlala

I haven't read it, but is it still relevant today, considering that the thread was created long time ago, are the issues raised still obtainable today?

lalasticlala:
I haven't read it, but is it still relevant today, considering that the thread was created long time ago, are the issues raised still obtainable today?

Hi Lala. Tagged you in as this should ideally be in the properties section not for frontpage purposes. Many thanks

Back to the topic

Considering the thread is documenting long term infrastructural development in the area; it's very much relevant.