The Senate will resolve the issue of lack of diesel supply which is slowing down construction works on a section of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway rehabilitation.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Adamu Aliero, stated this when he led a delegation of members of the committee during oversight inspection of roads in Lagos on Friday.
Aliero said that the directive given by the Comptroller-General of Customs that petrol tankers were not allowed 20km away from the border should not affect construction companies.
He said, “These are people who are engaged in very important service to the country. The Federal Government has employed their service to rehabilitate and reconstruct this road and definitely, this cannot be done without diesel.
“So we are going to look into this and we will advise the Comptroller-General to give exemptions to construction companies especially those of working close to the border.
“This is because if we don’t give exemptions to road construction, it will seriously be hampered and this is not good for our country particularly now that we are in the dry season.
“If you don’t allow them to bring their construction equipment and in particular diesel, it will be difficult for them to continue with the work during the rainy season.
“This is the best season for them to do the job. If rainy season comes, work will go at a slow speed,” he said.
NAN reports that the lawmakers later had a brief meeting with some Customs officers and the Chairman of the Badagry Local Government, Mr Olusegun Onilude, to tackle the problem.
Earlier, the Deputy Project Manager, CGC Nig. Ltd., the contractors handling the project, Mr Du Yunxiang, complained that both the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and Customs did not allow bitumen tanks cross through Badagry Bridge to the site.
“This is the most challenge for me. No diesel to work now and bitumen. They do not allow diesel. Even two trucks are packed by Badagry Bridge,” Du said.
Speaking about appeals by the Lagos and Ogun governments to expand the Lagos-Ibadan and Lagos-Badagry expressways to 10 lanes each, Aliero said it was not possible.
While inspecting the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Aliero expressed satisfaction at the quality of construction.
