Communities Along 4th Mainland Bridge Path Say Expectation is Hanging in the Air for Too Long

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Engr Aramide Adeyoye, Special Adviser on Works and Infrastructure to Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu

Communities along the path of construction for the proposed Fourth Mainland Bridge, 4MB, have expressed the notion that their expectations to see the project take off in earnest have been suspended for too long a time in the air.

Hence, they call on Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, to speed up the sod-turning of the project so as not to allow cold waters to pour on the zeal and enthusiasm of various interest groups and communities along the proposed bridge’s corridor to wane.

These opinions were part of the more than 40 questions and observations raised at stakeholders meeting over the weekend, presided over by the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, Engr Aramide Adeyoye.

However, it was gratifying to note that none of the commentaries, questions, and humane protestations on the seeming delay in turning the sod of the project, said anything overtly or covertly rejecting the project.

The 4MB Project Director, Engr Tokunbo Ajanaku, who represented the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Infrastructure, Engr Aramide Adeyoye, said the governor would announce the preferred handlers of the bridge construction “before the end of 2022.”

Adeyoye however, expressed satisfaction with the quantum and quality of feedback the stakeholders had availed the project team which he said will ultimately influence a positive impact on the final delivery of the project.

Reacting to the opinion of some of the members of the communities, the S.A. said, “there is no delay; we are following due process. We are stating emphatically here that the process is on schedule”.

She further emphasized that the project “has not derailed and we are assuring you that in a very short while, according to the schedule, Governor Sanwo-Olu will be announcing the preferred bidder”.

A Consultant to the 4th Mainland Bridge Project on Environmental and Social Safeguard, Mr. Kayode Oluwagbuyi, said the journey from Island to the mainland would no longer be three to four hours as “we expect that the journey will be just 30 minutes”.

Oluwagbuyi noted that “It’s been a continuous process; this is the 14th of the stakeholder interventions and consultations. This is going to be a continuous stakeholders meeting, even after the project had been commissioned”.

He however added the icing on the cake with his statement that, “the governor is likely going to announce the preferred bidder on 24th December 2022, by God’s grace”.

NAN