Ibadan—The Ministry of Works has said that the contractor handling Section II of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway reconstruction and expansion project, Reynolds Construction Company, RCC, was facing challenges of finance, adverse weather and impatience of motorists.
Mr. Nelson Olubakinde, the representative of the Ministry, told newsmen in Ibadan: “The construction company (RCC) is facing challenges of finance, weather, especially rain, and impatience on the part of road users often resulting in accidents within work location.
“For instance, during the rainy season, artwork and asphalt work laying are usually suspended.”
The construction contract, valued at N96.3 billion, commenced on June 4 and had a completion date of July 3, 2017.
Olubakinde, however, said that the construction effort was under Public Private Partnership, PPP, arrangement with Motorway Assets Limited as leasee, while the ministry was the guarantor.
“The consultants to Motorway Assets Limited is the INTERCON Partnership Consulting Engineers,” he added.
Speaking on the standard of the job done, Olubakinde said that new methods in road construction had been brought to bear on the project.
He said: “For example, apart from the fact that the thickness of the road has been enhanced, it has also been expanded to ensure free traffic flow.”
He also said the project, themed Rehabilitation, Re-Construction and Expansion, had reached 25.98 percent completion in spite of the challenges.
The ministry’s representative also said apart from ensuring the stability of the project, a sub-section of the road had been opened for use in the last one year to pave way for correction of any defect.
The other end of the road from Shagamu inter-change to Lagos is being handled by Julius Berger Plc, with RCC in charge of the other end to Ibadan.
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