After issuing two separate public announcements about planned emergency repairs on the Ogudu-Oworonshoki section of the Third Axial Bridge, the Lagos State Government has now cancelled the scheduled works, leaving some road users confused.
In its statement announcing the cancellation, the government did not provide a direct explanation for the postponement.
On April 29, 2025, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi, announced a traffic diversion plan ahead of emergency repairs scheduled to begin on May 6 and end on September 23.
The commissioner warned motorists to expect congestion and adjust their travel routes accordingly.
Just days later, a second notice revised the start date to May 13, while retaining the same timeline and diversion strategy.
But as road users braced for the months-long closure, another update emerged, this time announcing that repairs had been postponed to an unspecified future date.
“A new date for the repair works will be communicated,” Osiyemi wrote in a statement shared via his official X (formerly Twitter) account.“The State Government remains committed to ensuring public safety and minimal disruption during infrastructural upgrades.”
Disruption without clarity
The multiple announcements, followed by silence on the reasons for the postponement, have triggered public frustration in some quarters.
Many Lagosians had already begun adjusting their daily routines, work schedules, and logistics based on the initial repair timeline.
“What’s the update on the proposed maintenance of the Ogudu-Oworonshoki Bridge that was supposed to start on May 13th? Announcement was made for weeks in preparation, but nothing has started. Don’t you think the public deserves to know why?”, a self-identified dentist, Deji Kowbari, asked the commissioner on X.
Some residents expressed relief over the postponement, citing the potential impact on traffic.
“Good idea, because the untold hardship we were about to witness is so scary. Can the work be planned to be done at nights and weekends only?” an Instagram user, @a.d_abassolisa wrote.
Efforts to reach the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
Ikeja Record also contacted the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to the Governor, Jubril Gawat and the Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Governor, Gboyega Akosile.
As of the time of filing this report, both officials were yet to provide a response.