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Lagos State governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday formally commissioned the Victoria Island–Lekki Traffic Circulation Project, saying delivering the project would improve traffic flow, reduce travel time, and eliminate perennial flooding issues, and bringing a boost for health and socio-economic well-being of the people.
It would be recalled that the most critical challenge, experienced on daily basis by residents/road users along the axis was the heavy traffic volume.
The Victoria Island – Lekki Traffic Circulation Project, according to Governor Sanwo-Olu, was flagged off in December last year, under a Public Infrastructure Improvement Partnership (PIIP) Programme in conjunction with Access Bank PLC.
It consisted of dualization, expansion, construction and rehabilitation of some roads, junction and turning radius improvement of some roads, while the provision of a new drainage system, re-routing some roads as one way and signalisation were some of the innovative solutions that were carefully designed to ease the daily gridlock being experienced by commuters in this area.
Some of the roads delivered under the project are Ligali Ayorinde Muri Okunola – Aboyade Cole, Yesufu Abiodun Oniru, Ligali Ayorinde/Akinbolagbe/Okene amongst others.
The governor said that despite the difficult health cum economic challenges occasioned by the COVID 19 Pandemic experienced worldwide in the last one year, his administration remained fully committed to bringing economic prosperity to Lagosians by developing and facilitating the delivery of world-class infrastructure to serve as the critical development driver of a Greater Lagos vision.
Governor Sanwo-Olu, while appreciating Access Bank PLC for their collaborative efforts in delivering the project, noted that with this partnership with the state government, the bank had reinforced the importance of the Public-Private Partnership [PPP] at delivering public infrastructure.
He said the government was willing to give incentives such as tax holidays and branding and advertisement concession to corporate organisations that are ready to partner with government.
Governor Sanwo-Olu urged people to guard jealously the infrastructure, saying the fact that the project was delivered having been sponsored by Access Bank PLC remained a public infrastructure owned by all, and must, therefore, be protected to further encourage the sponsors and government to do more.
In her welcome address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye, while applauding the vision of Governor Sanwo-Olu, and his deputy, Mr Obafemi Hamzat, to continue to partner with the organised private sector for sustainable road infrastructure development, reiterated that in line with the State Transport Master Plan (STMP) and THEMES AGENDA, the administration had shown a deep sense of responsibility and commitment towards the delivery of strategic link roads.
She expressed gratitude to sponsors of the project, Access Bank PLC, for deeming it proper to sponsor the project as a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) contribution to the growth of the state.
Group Managing Director Access Bank Plc, Mr Hubert Wigwe, while expressing pleasure at the delivery of such an iconic project said the bank cherished service, customer relationship and community service.
Wigwe added that the bank had transformed Oyin Jolayemi, and other roads but described the commissioned project as the greatest, even as he invited other corporate organisation to partner with Access Bank in that direction
