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Babalakin Laments

Lawyer cum businessman, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN), Chairman, Bi-Courtney Group of Companies is not happy and has lamented over the state of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway…

“The road being constructed is completely inappropriate and outdated. The road being built today is a resurfacing of the 1977 road. It is a road that is inadequate to accommodate the geographical growth that has taken place on the road since 1977. This includes the emergence of towns like Ibafo, Isheri, Mowe and Redeemed Church camp.”

“The current road cannot contribute meaningfully to the development of road infrastructure in Nigeria. Julius Berger Plc is constructing a road in Nigeria that it will and can never suggest or contemplate building in Germany. Our heaviest traffic road in Nigeria is being built without the necessary accompanying things that should be on a highway.”

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“Our (Bi-Courtney) design provided for entry and exit to these towns without obstructing the flow of traffic on the expressway. We realised that simply resurfacing the road as being done now by the Ministry of Works is a serious disservice to Nigeria.”

“Nigerians continue to suffer on that road till date. The reason given for the termination of the project, which is the need to complete it expeditiously, has not been realised six years after.”

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“Most of the things they seek to do here, they can’t suggest them to their own homes. But if Nigerian engineers lead from the front, they will be able to insist on certain parameters.”

“The cost of the project has now ballooned. Bi-Courtney Highways had agreed to build the road with seven overhead bridges at a cost of N112bn. The cost of this project now is indeterminable. However, it cannot be less than N300bn. This is serious waste of government resources in a country that has very little resources.”