The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode has revealed that his administration’s plan to carry out a total reconstruction of the International Airport Road from Oshodi was being frustrated by the Federal Ministry of Works, Power and Housing.

Incidentally, that Ministry is headed by the immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, the man Ambode succeeded.

Governor Ambode, who addressed journalists at the Lagos House, said the present state of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road is a national disgrace and required immediate attention to salvage the nation’s image.

He said the State Government presently has a design for the reconstruction of the road as well as the funds to embark on the project but the Federal Government was yet to grant approval.

“The road linking Oshodi to the International Airport, you would all agree with me is a national embarrassment. In the spirit of the regeneration and urbanisation that this administration has set out to achieve, we believe strongly that the image that is exhumed by the decadence of that road must be repaired and we took it upon ourselves to appropriate in the 2017 budget that the House of Assembly should approve the total reconstruction of the Airport Road from Oshodi to the International Airport,” the Governor said.

“The state currently has a design of 10 lanes to come from Oshodi to the International Airport with interchange and flyover that would drop you towards the Local Airport. The contractor is already set to go and everything as I said has been completed and we already have the cash, but alas we are having challenges with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. This is a Federal and not a state road. The Federal Ministry of Works believes that they should do the road, but they have not been able to do it all these years past.”

He lamented that despite the fact that the Federal Government was indebted to the state to the tune of N51 billion, which was spent on repairing Federal roads over the years, the State Government’s effort to immediately transform the Airport Road to world class standard was being frustrated.

He stopped short of accusing his predecessor of being the one frustrating the state’s plan to fix the road.

The Governor also said if given the approval, his administration was ready to hit the ground running and begin construction of the Airport Roadwithin two weeksand finish it within a period of six months.

Besides, the Governor urged the Federal Government to avail the state of the N2 billion appropriated for the Airport Road in the 2017 National Budget to carry out the project.

“I just want to remind Lagosians that prior to my becoming Governor, the Federal Ministry of Works has been owing Lagos State a total of N51 billion as reimbursement for reconstruction that was carried out by the State Government on federal roads in the state.

“So obviously, what we are asking for is that whatever it is that we are asking for, it can never be up to the N51 billion that they are owing us.

“I just want to appeal to the Federal Ministry of Works, to let go or reimburse us with whatever it is that they are owing us and even if they are not willing to pay us now, we have the money to do it. It is a national disgrace and we would not be part of it. We would like to do it as part of the celebration of Lagos at 50,” Governor Ambode said.

The Governor also expressed frustration that six months after President Muhammadu Buhari approved the handover of the Presidential Lodge, Marina, the State Government was yet to gain access into the premises.

He said that the inability of the State Government to access the Lodge was seriously frustrating the programmes outlined for the Lagos @ 50 celebrations.(TV360 Nigeria)