Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Wednesday, lamented that the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing led by ex-Lagos Governor, Babatunde Fashola, is frustrating the state government’s plan to reconstruct the Lagos Airport Road from the Oshodi end. .
He also said the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing is also frustrating the planned handover of the Presidential Lodge to Lagos long after Pres. Buhari approved the handing over of the project. .
According to him, “The road linking Oshodi to the International Airport, you would all agree with me is a national embarrassment. .
In the spirit of the regeneration and urbanisation that this administration has set out to achieve, we believe strongly that the image that is exhumed by the decadence of that road must be repaired and we took it upon ourselves to appropriate the 2017 budget that the House of Assembly should approve its total reconstruction.
The State currently has a design of 10 lanes to come from Oshodi to the International Airport with interchange and flyover that would drop you towards the Local Airport. .
The contractor is already set to go and everything as I said has been completed and we already have the cash, but alas, we are having challenges with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. .
This is a Federal and not a State road. The Federal Ministry of Works believes that they should do the road, but they have not been able to do it all these years past.
I just want to remind Lagosians that prior to my becoming Governor, the Federal Ministry of Works has been owing Lagos State a total of N51billion as reimbursement for reconstruction that was carried out by the State Government on federal roads in the State.
It is only logical that they should even give us part of what they are owing us so that we can complete this construction of the Airport Road within a time of six months.
E if they are not willing to pay us now, we have the money to do it. It is a national disgrace and we would not be part of it. We would like to do it as part of the celebration of Lagos at 50.”