The Oyo State Government has awarded the contract for the dualization of the Ibadan Toll Gate Interchange-Efunsetan Roundabout-Podo Roundabout (New Garage)-Toll Gate Interchange, as well as expansion of Challenge Roundabout-Efunsetan Roundabout, at a cost of N5.8 billion.
The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Bosun Oladele, while briefing newsmen on Wednesday in Ibadan, shortly after the end of the state Executive Council Meeting, said that the project would be in two phases.
According to him, the first phase, which would gulp N5.3 billion, would commence from the Toll Gate Interchange through Efunsetan Roundabout, Podo Roundabout (New Garage) back to Toll Gate Interchange, and would be completed within the next nine months.
He said that the second phase – the expansion of Challenge Roundabout to Efunsetan Roundabout, would cost a total sum of N509,003,659.36 billion and would commence immediately after the completion of the first phase.
Oladele said that the project, which was awarded to Hitech Construction Company Limited, was aimed at boosting inter-city transport links, improving inter-city trade, drastically reducing inter-city transport connection bottleneck and decongesting traffic at all the entrances to Ibadan, the state capital, especially from the Lagos axis.
“This shall ensure that all the traffic from the road network from Lagos and Ijebu-Ode has a smoother and safer entrance to Ibadan city with all the socio-economic benefits,’’ he said.
The commissioner said that repair works had commenced on adjoining roads around the axis to make them accessible so as to reduce the traffic snarl that the construction work could bring.
He also explained that adequate compensation would be worked out for those whose structures would be affected by the dualization and expansion projects.
Oladele said that, apart from dualizing all the major entries to the state capital, government was also bent on dualizing all entry roads to other major towns in the state like Oyo, Iseyin and Ogbomoso would also be dualized.
The commissioner called for the cooperation and support of the people of the state with the government so that more development projects could be executed for the betterment of their lives.