Lagos — Lagos State Government has set aside the second and third week of August to commence work on the proposed expansion of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway even as the police and Nigeria Army have agreed to sacrifice their posts at Orile, Okokomaiko, Ijanikin, Muwo, Badagry and the Army Barracks in Mile 2 respectively.

The construction is expected to produce a 10-lane carriageway with a light rail with two-service lane on each side when completed.

Governor Babatunde Fashola disclosed this on Friday at a stakeholders' forum held at the state secretariat, saying that the reconstruction is long overdue as Lagos remains the only modern state without an intra-city rail system. He added that among the ECOWAS countries, only the Lagos-Badagry axis is yet to be constructed within the sub-regional route meant to boost economic integration of member countries.

"When the Badary road was first built the population of Lagos was five million people, but today it has exploded to 18 million such that a journey of 15 minutes now takes up to three to five hours," he said.

The governor expressed optimism that the construction would rather provides opportunity for the people and government to confront reality, and pave way for development in the society, adding that it would provide not less than 1,000 job opportunities for youths in the state on a daily basis.

He added that the traffic situation presently witnessed on the road equally constitutes danger, including accidents and health hazards.

Fashola, who also disclosed that the state government has already paid and awarded the contract to Julius Berger, reminded Lagosians that they should be ready to make sacrifice by giving up their buildings currently standing as barrier to the commencement of the work, but said provision has been made to compensate all those that would be affected.