The Lagos State Government on Thursday met with stakeholders to assess the possible environmental and social impact of constructing the Fourth Mainland Bridge.

Reports say that the meeting focused on how the project may impact the lives of the surrounding communities.

The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Works and Infrastructure, Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, while speaking at the meeting, said the governor would announce the preferred handlers “before the end of 2022.”

Adeyoye, who was represented by the Project Director for the 4th mainland bridge, Tokunbo Ajanaku, said the essence of the stakeholders meeting was to get a feedback from the communities.

“At this point in time in the life of the fourth mainland bridge, we are closing out on the environmental social impact assessment stage.

“This is the 14th meeting we are having with the stakeholders.

“This meeting is for us to get a clear understanding; we want a feedback that will help us to make the project better.

“It has been a very good meeting because we have a feedback.

“There are recordings of all of the proceedings and we took more than 40 questions and none of them said anything rejecting the project.

“What the people actually stated was that the government was in delay and they wanted the project to happen immediately.

“There is no delay; we are following due process. We are stating emphatically here that the process is on schedule.

“It has not derailed and we are assuring you that in a very short while, according to the schedule, Governor Sanwo-Olu will be announcing the preferred bidder.

“When the fourth mainland bridge comes on, it will make businesses begin to flourish.

“We are looking at a business boom. Because of constraints on infrastructure, especially road infrastructure, several businesses are migrating or thinking of migrating.

“In terms of employees and employers, we are looking at a business that will be employing at least 10,000 people which benefits the economy.

“We are looking at new communities being opened up,“ he said.

An Environmental and Social Safeguard Consultant to 4th Mainland Bridge Project, Mr Kayode Oluwagbuyi, in his remarks, said the journey from Island to mainland would no longer be three to four hours.

“We expect that the journey will be just 30 minutes.

“It’s been a continuous process; this is the 14th of the stakeholder interventions and consultations.

“This is going to be a continuous stakeholders meeting, even after the project had been commissioned.

“The governor is likely going to announce the preferred bidder on December 24, by God’s grace.

“We expect that by April, they will move to site and commence construction.

“The new fourth mainland bridge is at the centre of the synergy of traffic. There are eight roads aligned to the bridge.

“This bridge will make it easy and convenient for people to connect,” he said.

The Chairman, Infrastructure committee for Lekki Estate Resident and Stakeholders Association, Sulieman Bello, expressed pleasure with the new development.

“We are happy and excited,” he said.(NAN)

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