Lagos-Badagry Expressway reconstruction fast-tracked with N15bn NNPC tax credit fund

The Federal Government has assured residents, motorists and property owners along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway of timely completion of the highway project, saying the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited’s N15 billion Tax Credit Fund is fast tracking the Badagry expressway project.

It was disclosed that NNPC deployed tax resources to 21 roads, covering a total distance of 1,804.6 kilometres across the six geopolitical zones. Out of those 21 roads, nine of the selected projects are in North-central, three in North-east, two in North-west, two in South-east, three in South-south, and two in South-West.

The two projects in the South-West are: the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, the Agabara junction, Ibadan to Ilorin (Oyo-Ogbomoso section).

Speaking during an inspection tour of section three of Lagos-Badagry Expressway project by the Federal Ministry of Works team, at the weekend, the lawmaker representing Badagry Federal constituency, Hon Babatunde Hunpe and other stakeholders in Badagry, Director of Federal Highways in South West, Mr. Adedamola Kuti, said that efforts are on top gear to ensure the ongoing road rehabilitation project would be completed soon.

According to him,  the N15 billion NNPC tax credit funding is speeding up construction works on the Badagry expressway project, adding that about 17 kilometers had been completed on various stretches on the Badagry bound lane, while measures were on to further speed up pace of construction works.

The Director said that the project which spans from Agbara to Seme Border being supervised by the Federal Ministry of Works was part of the projects being executed via a strategic intervention under the Federal Government Road Infrastructure and Refreshment Tax Credit Scheme.

Kuti said: “So far, NNPC funds have brought in a lot of relief to this job. We have been able to pay some of the outstanding bills for certified works that have been done. So, our certificate number four five has been paid up by NNPC.

“That is why you are seeing this tremendous progress that is ongoing on this road. NNPC funding for this job is just about N15 billion but we have been assured that the government will not stop funding.”

He added that the project was about 25 per cent completed and expressed hope that government continued funding will get the project to about 80 per cent completion this year. He said that the contract was awarded in 2018 but due to funding constraints actual construction began in earnest between 2020 and 2021 after the SUKUK funding came in, adding that, subsequently the NNPC Tax Credit Scheme.

However, the lawmaker representing Badagry in the House of Representatives, Mr. Babatunde Hunpe urged the Federal Government to continue funding the project so that the work would finish on time.

According to him, there have been tremendous changes in the pace of work on the road in the last few months.

“I am sure that if this continues the way it is going by December this year, the residents and the people passing through the expressway will have cause to smile and thank the government more. I am appealing to the residents to cooperate with the construction workers so that the project will continue without any issues,” he said.