Following resumption on construction sites by contractors executing major roads contracts across the country, the management of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has assured that it would take adequate measures to guarantee safety of lives and ease traffic congestions at the various construction areas.

Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi gave the assurance at a joint meeting with the representatives of the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing and the two construction companies handling the road project, Julius Berger Plc and RCC.

Oyeyemi said the Corps was determined to ensure that safety measures are observed in the construction areas through adequate warning signs and effective traffic management.

He also applauded the Federal Government for resumption of work on Lagos-Ibadan expressway and other major roads across the country following the recent mobilization of the contractors.

Oyeyemi, who was represented at the meeting by the Assistant Corps Marshal in charge of Policy, Research and Statistics, Kayode Olagunju expressed satisfaction with the commitment made by the construction companies to observe safety standards in the construction areas.

He added that the FRSC will ensure that road users are saved from undue hardships due to omission or commission of the construction companies.

The FRSC boss particularly commended the Minister of Works, Power and Housing for directing the construction companies to strictly adhere to safety standards, promising that the Corps in discharging its responsibilities would continue to collaborate with the Ministry to ensure that safety measures are taken in the construction areas.

Oyeyemi identified a number of challenges that could undermine safety in the areas.
These, he said include inadequate signage at the construction sites, illegal openings and u-turns at dangerous locations and deep potholes as well as failed portions.

Others, according to him are failed hard shoulders, flooding, crocodile cracks and improper and dangerous diversions as well as inadequate lighting around the sites which could create hazards at night.

In order to address these challenges, Oyeyemi urged the two construction companies to provide standard and appropriate road signs in all the construction sites and ensure that uniform and adequate signage are provided to guide the motorists.

He gave assurances that FRSC will embark on joint field assessment patrol with the Ministry of Works, Power and Housing and representatives of the two construction companies to provide information on the location of the identified illegal openings for immediate filling and closure to traffic.

In addition RCC was advised to collaborate with the Police Force to provide more security backup in the area while it should extend the patching of the area to the Sagamu end of the expressway.

In the same vein, Julius Berger was directed to ensure that concrete barriers are placed on the hard shoulders to prevent motorists from driving against flow of traffic, especially in the areas where the practice has been identified to be most problematic, such MFM-NSAFAT turning.

The meeting resolved that Julius Berger PLC should carryout repair work on the identified failed spots, which the site Engineer confirmed was already being handled in order to provide palliatives to motorists.

Furthermore, RCC is to expedite action in completing work at the Ogunmakin area and to open the complete section between First Square and Ogunmakin during the forthcoming Sallah celebration to ease traffic flow.

The meeting also resolved among other things that the two construction companies should provide adequate lights to illuminate the construction sites especially in the night, in order to avoid the dangers of unsuspecting motorists running into men at work or stationary equipment.

In his remarks at the meeting, the representative of the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Kayode Ibrahim, thanked the Corps Marshal for his proactive action in calling the meeting.

Describing the meeting as timely and necessary., he expressed the appreciation of the Minister for Works, Power and Housing to the FRSC, saying the Ministry will sustain the collaboration with Corps to ensure that safety standards are always observed.

In the same vein, the representatives of the two construction companies.

He also expressed appreciation to the Corps Marshal for the meeting and the technical inputs, promised to observe safety standards throughout the period of the construction.