Julius Berger’s Unprofessional Conduct On Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

To some observers, Julius Berger is known for excellence. Because of the quality of their work they are the darling of successive governments in Nigeria since they opened shop in 1970. Of German parentage, the company has caused to bear on numerous projects the German work ethic and dedication delivering world class roads, bridges, airports, houses, among other turnkey projects across the length and breadth of Nigeria.

One of such projects is the Lagos- Ibadan express way which Julius Berger is handling a section: the Sagamu interchange to Lagos while Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) is handling Ibadan to the Sagamu section. The road is one of the busiest in the country connecting the rest of Nigeria to Lagos, the commercial capital.

While there is expectation of a better motoring experience anytime the road construction is completed and commissioned (no one knows when as dates have been shifting) the people commuting on that road daily are facing harrowing experience. The traffic on the road has become legendary as a journey of 40 minutes to Lagos from Mowe, Ogun State may take four to five hours or a whole day in some cases. People traveling out of Lagos are also stuck most times and would rather wished they stayed back at home. People living in the border towns of Lagos and Ogun states are suffering in silence and dying slowly as a result of stress.

There are several issues involved. One is the slow pace of work by Julius Berger. If it is Julius Berger of old they will be working day and night to deliver that road in good time. But no. They work only in day time, 9am t0 5pm and observe all the public holidays like civil servants. There are also fewer personnel and construction equipment on ground at each section they are working on. Two, such a road is supposed to come with Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) to know the effect of the construction on the communities living along that axis and how to mitigate it. It seems this was never done. Or how else can one rationalize the fact that Julius Berger will lock in communities and deny them good access to their homes without providing alternative route. The case of residence of Wawa, Arepo, Magboro and Ibafo are typical example. The residence of these communities have been cut off from their access roads without any alternative. For instance, residence of Magboro are condemned to use very bad bush paths near Punch newspaper to a Chinese company on the left and another very bad road opposite Mountain of Fire Prayer City on the right. But roads are at best bush paths and have been existing for years.

The case of residents of Arepo , a very large community that hosts two residential estates for journalists among other estates is worst. They can only exit through a bumpy terrain at Coleman Cables that leads to almost a cul de sac of a flooded tunnel any time it rains. It is either you have an SUV or your car is amphibious before you can navigate to join the express way to Lagos. As part of its ESIA, Julius Berger would have at least graded these roads to make them fit for vehicles to pass. People returning home from work late are attacked and robbed daily by hoodlums taking advantage of the bad roads. These roads are destroying people’s cars with the attendant high cost of maintenance. Can the management of Julius Berger do some palliative repairs on these roads to alleviate the suffering of the residence of these communities?

Julius Berger’s main client, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing is complicit in this matter. There has not been any engagement whatsoever with these communities to know how the road construction is impacting their social and economic life and how to cushion the hardship occasioned by the activities of Julius Berger. Where are the Directors of Highway in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing for Lagos and Ogun States. Can someone remind them that their job is not in the office but on the highways where the action is taking place.

There is growing anger and anguish among the people and it may soon boil over if nothing is done. It is most callous of Julius Berger to subject commuters and residents of these border towns to untold hardship in the name of road construction. Something urgent has to be done to save the man hours and life lost on the Lagos Ibadan Expressway on daily basis. More importantly they should increase the pace of work so that this all important road can be delivered as a Christmas gift to Nigeria come 2021.

Mike Nzeagwu, Ikeja , Lagos.

metrodiaus2000@yahoo.com