By Abdallah el-Kurebe
There are all indications that the Senate has abandoned the investigation into the also abandoned Badagry-Sokoto Expressway, more than two years after it initiated in March 2021.
ASHENEWS recalls that a motion titled, “Need for the construction of the Badagry/Sokoto Expressway to promote economic growth and development” was considered by the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly (NASS) in March 2021.
This online platform further recalls that the motion was sponsored by Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar (APC, Kwara North), and co-sponsored by the Deputy Whip, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger North); Sani Mohammed Musa (Niger East); Bello Mandiya (Katsina South); Yahaya Ibrahim Oloriegbe, (Kwara Central); Oyelola Yisa Ashiru (Kwara South); Tolulope Akinremi Odebiyi (Ogun West); and Ibikunle Oyelaja Amosun (Ogun Central).
The Senate resolved that, as a matter of urgency, the Federal government should initiate a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) or Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement for the construction of the abandoned Badagry-Sokoto Expressway.
Senator Umar, in his presentation, noted that the Badagry-Sokoto Expressway is a Federal Government road which connects twelve (12) states which include: Lagos/Badagry, Ogun/Agbara, Oyo/Abeokuta, Kwara, Niger, Kebbi and Sokoto State at the national level, with Benin, Togo and Niger at the International level, in addition to being the Nigeria section of the Trans-West Coastal Highway project to link 12 West African coastal nations.
Going into history, the Senator recalled that the Badagry-Sokoto Expressway was initiated over 40 years ago as part of 4th National Development Plan, and commenced by the General Olusegun Obasanjo regime in 1978, but abandoned in 1979 after he handed over power to late Shehu Shagari.
“The original conception of this expressway was a linkage road between the North and South Nigeria and some West African countries through Seme Border; to ease carriage of goods across the borders as it connects Apapa seaports and Seme land border as well as one of the largest industrial hubs in the country, the Agbara Industrial Estate.
“In 2009, the Federal Government in collaboration with the Lagos State Government started the reconstruction and expansion of the Lagos-Badagry part of the Badagry-Sokoto expressway, from six (6) to ten (10) lanes, prompting economic development around the area, but the project was abandoned due to lack of fund, thereby affecting these economic activities negatively.
“In the same year, the Federal Government in collaboration with the Lagos State Government resumed the reconstruction of the Lagos-Badagry part of the Badagry-Sokoto expressway, adding that, nothing is being done to construct the rest of the express way,” Senator Umar recalled.
All other co-sponsors of the motion contributed to the presentation and the Senate in its resolutions, mandated the Committees on Works, Finance and National Planning and Economic Development to jointly inter-face with the Ministry of Works, Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and other relevant stakeholders to determine why the Badagry-Sokoto Expressway has been abandoned for such a long time, provide a permanent and sustainable solution/plan and report to the Senate within two weeks.
The Senate also urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, direct the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, and Infrastructure Concessioning and Regulatory Commission (ICRC), to urgently initiate a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) or Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement for the construction of this most important highway.
The Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, among other commitments promised that the Senate would work with the committees and the Executive to ensure that the road project commenced.
“We, too, will work with our Committees and Executive behind the scenes to ensure that this particular road sees some kind of revival. The administration may not start and finish it, that is to say that even if it is an investment, it will have to spill to some few years after 2023, and of course, by the grace of God, APC would still be there.
“We should push for this road to go through the process of PPP because it is a very important road, and I’m sure we will have a multitude of investors who would like to invest,” he assured.
But after three years and still counting, as against the two weeks time frame within which the Senate committees were to “provide a permanent and sustainable solution/plan and report to the Senate”, nothing has been heard of the matter.
ASHENEWS‘ repeatedly tried to call Senator Abdullahi to inquire about the status of the investigation but failed.
