By Meletus EZE
The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, on Wednesday said Federal Government was working with Lagos State Government on the possibility of private sector involvement in the reconstruction of Lagos/Badagry Expressway.
Osinbajo disclosed this during his visit to the palace of the Akran of Badagry, Aholu Menu-Toyi 1, as part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) pre-election campaign tour.
According to the vice president, private sector involvement will fast-track the completion of the construction project on time.
“The contract for the project has been awarded; it is only to ensure that adequate finance is given to the contractor.
“We are also working on the possibility of private sector involvement in the project because if it is government alone, it will slow down the project.
“So, we are working with the Lagos State Government to see how to put all resources together to do it quickly.
“It is a very useful commercial road, it is also attractive for the private sector to invest in,’’ Osinbajo said.
On the Badagry Deep Seaport Project, the vice-president said that the project had gone very far.
According to him, the most important thing about the project is that it is not a government project.
“The Federal Government has already given approval to the private sector companies who are promoting and building it.
“The role of the government is to grant necessary approvals and those approvals have been granted.
“So, what we are waiting for is for the private sector to put together the resources to complete the project.
“It is a big project and it is going to be one of the biggest port in Africa,’’ Osinbajo said.
Earlier, the Badagry monarch had urged the federal government to fast-track the completion of the Lagos/Badagry/Seme Expressway.
According to the Akran, the international road is a major gateway to other West African countries.
“Kindly consider and fast-track the planned establishment and construction of Badagry Deep Seaport Project that has been on the drawing board for about five years.
“Since Badagry has joined the league of Oil Producing Communities in Nigeria, we shall be happy if you encourage the Lagos State Government to send, as a matter of urgency, the bill to domesticate the Niger Delta Development Commission Act as amended in 2017 to the State House of Assembly for ratification.
“We want provision of infrastructure which includes electricity, schools, health centres and pipe-borne water in Seme border town,’’ the Akran said.
He also urged the Federal Government to upgrade facilities at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) and provide employment for its teeming youths in federal government ministries, departments and agencies.
“We will be glad if the government will consider and approve the establishment of a Federal Polytechnic or its equivalent in our community,’’ the Akran pleaded.
The Akran thanked the Federal Government for significant improvement in supply of electricity in the coastal town, adding that its communities now enjoyed ten hours of power supply daily.
TBI Africa said the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the vice-president took the APC campaign train to Badagry International Market, Agbalata where he solicited for residents’ votes in the upcoming elections.
