Nigeria’s Minister for Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has dismissed a statement credited to the incumbent Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who alleged that the Ministry under the former Governor of Lagos, is frustrating the state’s plan to reconstruct the Lagos International Airport Road from Oshodi
The Minister who reacted to this claim through
his Special Adviser on Communications, Mr. Hakeem Bello, struck out the statement, describing it as misleading while pointing out projects they’ve approved for the Lagos State Government.
He said: “As far as International Airport Road which is currently the ground for alleged “frustration” is concerned, the correct position is that the Lagos State Government presented a request for FOUR roads that it would wish to take over.
“This is consistent with the position being canvassed by the Hon Minisiter for States who are interested to apply to take over Roads that are within their States.
“The Ministry has presented the Memorandum conveying the request of the Lagos State Government to the Federal Executive Council as was done with a similar request by the Kaduna State Government in 2016.
“Due to the fact that TWO of the roads also connect Ogun State, the Federal Executive Council could not reach an immediate decision on them because it requested the input of the other State Government affected.
“The Kaduna State Government requested the Federal Government to transfer two roads within Kaduna Metropolis to the State in November 2015. Due process was followed and the request of the State Government was approved in August 2016, a period of ten months.
“Federal Executive Council Memorandum are debated and commented upon by all members and in cases of roads, surveys, maps and other material have to be provided to assist members understand the location and connectivity of the roads, (in this case Four roads), in order to assist how they vote on the Memorandum.”
“Equating processes to a lack of co-operation is therefore akin to creating a storm in a tea cup.”