By Moshood Adebisi
The Eleyinpo of Ipapo, Oba Yekeen Abioye II, has commended the plan by the Federal Government to revive the abandoned Badagry-Sokoto Expressway, saying the road will play an important role in the economic life of Nigerians.
In particular, he emphasised how the people of Okeogun in Oyo State- which is a major food basket in the country – would benefit from the expressway if completed. The monarch spoke recently during the annual meeting of the Ipapo Descendants Union (IDU). IDU is the umbrella association charged with development activities in the town.
The Nigerian Senate recently called on the Federal Government to explore either the Public-Private Partnership or Build, Operate, and Transfer arrangements to make the Lagos-Sokoto Expressway project a reality. The road, which was launched in 1978 as a major link between the South West and the North has since been abandoned.
The Badagry-Sokoto Expressway is a Federal Government road which connects twelve (12) states which include: Lagos/Badagry, Ogun/Agbara, Oyo/Abeokuta, Kwara, Niger, Kebbi and Sokoto State at the national level, with Benin, Togo and Niger at the International level, in addition to being the Nigeria section of the Trans-West Coastal Highway project to link 12 West African coastal nations.
The Senate had recalled that the Badagry-Sokoto Expressway was initiated as part of the 4th National Development Plan, which was commenced by the General Olusegun Obasanjo regime in 1978, but was abandoned in 1979 – Over 40 years now.
It added, “The original conception of this expressway was a linkage road between the North and South Nigeria and some West African countries through Seme Border; to ease carriage of goods across the borders as it connects Apapa seaports and Seme land border as well as one of the largest industrial hubs in the country, the Agbara Industrial Estate.”
