[UPDATE] Gridlock: FG suspends construction on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

The Federal Government, on Monday, ordered the immediate suspension of construction works along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway till July 2, 2023.

The Federal Controller of Works, Lagos, Olukorede Kesha, in a statement, said the new directive was due to the gridlock experienced by road users plying the expressway to navigate their destinations in Lagos and Ogun states.

He also said the suspension was to enable road users to experience hassle-free movement while travelling to their various home towns for the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

Olukorede said, “The suspension is due to the recent heavy traffic flow being experienced on the Lagos-Shagamu route in the last couple of days, the inclement weather conditions, the forthcoming Eid-el-Kabir and the advice of the traffic management team deployed to manage traffic-related issues on the project.

“Construction activities on this ever-busy and very important highway will be suspended from Tuesday, June 27, to Sunday, July 2, 2023. This is to allow travellers easy passage during the Eid-el-Kabir holiday and minimise the discomfort of gridlock during this very important period.”

The controller further advised travellers to cooperate with the traffic management team deployed on the highway to ensure safe passage on the expressway.

“Travellers are advised to cooperate with the traffic management team deployed on the highway to manage traffic,” Olukorede added.

PUNCH Metro had reported that hundreds of motorists and commuters were on Sunday trapped for hours in the gridlock induced by the ongoing road construction at the Berger end of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The gridlock was said to have worsened when the construction workers collapsed both routes of the expressway into two lanes.

As observed by our correspondents, the influx of vehicles plying the narrowed lanes to navigate their destinations in Ogun and Lagos states created a backlog of traffic that trapped many motorists.

A passenger, who gave her name simply as Chika, while plying the expressway to navigate her destination in Ogun State on Monday, lamented being trapped for hours in the gridlock.

She said, “I spent roughly two hours in the gridlock and we haven’t even moved an inch since we got stuck in the gridlock on the expressway. The heat was much and I could not get down from the vehicle because I was already tired.

“At least, if the government wants to do this kind of thing, they should make efforts to provide alternative routes. This is not fair to anybody at all. It is plain wickedness at this point.”