The Sorry Side of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway

Lagos/Badagry Expressway is a Federal Highway. The Minister of Works is in charge of all Federal Roads. Mr. Fashola (SAN) is the Minister of Works, Housing, and Energy. And he is a Lagosian. He was the Governor of Lagos State for eight years. Following the completion of his two terms in office as a Governor,  President Buhari appointed him as his Minister in charge of the three Ministries listed above. And he has been in that capacity in the last four years. As a Governor, Mr. Fashola, under a proper arrangement, could have taken over the maintenance or ownership of this Highway from the Federal Government. He never did. As a Federal Minister of Works in the past four years, he was expected to mobilize all the federal resources at his control to expedite the process of the dualization of the Highway, not because it is in Lagos State, but for the simple reason that it is the gateway linking Nigeria with the countries in the West African Sub-region. He failed as a Governor and he failed as a Federal Minister of Works to give the Lagos/Badagry Expressway the attention it deserves. Today, the Highway remains dilapidated and more appalling a condition than it was about twelve years ago when he became a Governor. It is the same story with Mile2/Orile/Apapa Wharf Expressway. Please, see the third picture below. In a few days, his stewardship as the Minister of Works, Housing, and Energy will come to an end. And it is very likely that another position is waiting for him when this one is over. In Nigeria, it is called trust, connection, or recruiting from within, irrespective of the abysmal records of the past performance of these highly favored individuals.

If you can survive the suffering from IYANOBA to BADAGRY every morning and evening. Then you can survive when you find yourself in any part of the world..Jocash Ozik Onyecashe is with Babatunde Hunpe.

Below is Mile2/Orile/Apapa Wharf Highway