The Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, promised to compensate landlords and tenants of structures that may be demolished as the construction of the Fourth Mainland Bridge commences.
The governor said the construction of the bridge would commence in the first quarter of 2024, “by the end of March or April.”
He spoke at the Lagos West Senatorial District Town Hall Meeting held at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.
Sanwo-Olu noted that the bridge would be constructed and opened for use in phases, while stating that extensive work had already been done towards the commencement of the construction.
He said, “You cannot get a new road without needing to do a bit of discomfort. But we will ensure that we compensate everybody that their property or their businesses will be disturbed by this new construction. But it’s going to be along existing corridors.
“So, there will be a few buildings that will be touched. But I want to assure you that not only will the landlord be paid full compensation, but places we have tenants as well, we will ensure that we also compensate them. And we will ensure that nobody is unduly taken advantage of.”
On when the construction of the much-awaited bridge would start, the governor said, “We’ve done extensive work on the bridge. But we are at the crossroads of where to get the real financing for that kind of project. We’ll need to be very very creative, but we thank God because we have reached the last final dot of the construction. Our commitment is that within this first quarter, meaning that by the end of March or April, we should break the ground to start the construction of the Fourth Mainland Bridge.”
The Fourth Mainland Bridge is a 38km-long bridge project by the Lagos State Government, connecting Lagos Island by way of Langbasa (Lekki) and Baiyeku (Ikorodu) across the Lagos Lagoon to Itamaga, in Ikorodu. The bridge is a 2 x 4 lane carriageway cross-sectional road with permission for Bus Rapid Transit Lane and future road contraction.
Meanwhile, Sanwo-Olu said the Lagos Red Line rail would be unveiled in February, adding that the state government had written officially to President Bola Tinubu to invite him for the unveiling of the rail line.
“Our Red Line rail will be unveiled in February. In fact, we have written officially to Mr President to come and help us unveil it in February this year,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The Red Line rail is a 37-kilometre North-South rail route that will run from Agbado to Marina with 13 stations at Agbado, Iju, Agege, Ikeja, Murtala Muhammed International Airport International Wing, MMIA Domestic, Oshodi, Mushin, Yaba, Ebute Metta, Iddo, Ebute Ero and Marina.