Work to resume on Pen-Cinema Bridge, says Sanwo-Olu

By Benjamin Omoike, Lagos

There will soon be respite for motorists plying the Agege-Pen Cinema axis in Lagos as the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has assured of an accelerated completion of the abandoned Pen-Cinema Bridge.

The governor spoke on Sunday while inspecting ongoing rehabilitation work on major roads in Iju area of the state being carried out by the Lagos state Public Works Corporation.

Sanwo-Olu, in company of his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, said the contractor handling the bridge construction was being prepared for re-mobilisation back on the site.

Expressing concern over the pains residents go through due to regular gridlock on the alternative routes occasioned by the abandoned project, Sanwo-Olu said his government would compensate for the discomfort by ensuring the timely completion of the bridge.

He said: “I can assure you that we are currently in talks with the contractors handling key road projects in Ikorodu, which are Igbogbo and Ishawo roads, and also a critical project in Agege area, which is the Pen-Cinema Bridge. Our promise is that, if it is not by end of this month then by next month, the contractors will be fully mobilised back on site to complete the work.

“We are particularly, concerned about the pain motorists are going through because of the incomplete construction of Pen-Cinema Bridge. We are hoping that the contractor handling the bridge construction too will be mobilised back on site. Once we push these three critical infrastructures and get them completed, relief would come to residents in these areas.”

The governor said the ongoing road repair across the state was an outcome of his executive order, which declared emergency rehabilitation of critical roads.

Sanwo-Olu said the repair was being carried out in six segments, pointing out that the highways and arterial carriages were captured in the first set of repairs across the state.

He said repair work would begin on roads captured in other segments in succession and urged commuters to be patient while the repair works are being carried, assuring that the road rehabilitation would be ongoing to until 100 major roads marked for repair in all local government areas across the state get done.

Sanwo-Olu said his administration would continue to be responsive to the challenges confronting the people, assuring that the actions of his government would focus on bringing relief to taxpayers.