By Mohammed Adekola
The Lagos State Government hands over a police station it constructed to the Marine Division of the force in Epe, reports that the old police station is to be demolished by the state government to pave the way for a road project in the local government area.
Speaking at the handing-over ceremony, Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Infrastructure, Olufemi Daramola, said the planned demolition of the old station and construction of a new one was to enable government promptly deliver the expansion of Awolowo Way-Ita Marina road project.
Daramola said that the expansion of segment five of the project required redesign of the existing vertical and horizontal curves on the road alignment.
This, according to him, necessitates the relocation of the existing Epe Marine Police post and some other structures on the new road alignment.
“Taking into cognisance the security implications, a new Marine Police Post had to be built to accommodate police officers.
“This is the only outstanding challenge to the full completion of the rehabilitation/upgrade of the strategic arterial/inner roads (Phase II) in Epe L.G.A, which is currently at 95 per cent completion”, he said.
He said government was improving road infrastructure in the area because “Epe and its environs are presently witnessing an influx of people and increased traffic volume as a result of industrial and commercial growth arising from the development of the Dangote Oil Refinery, Air and Sea ports as well as industries within the Lekki Free Trade Zone.”
A representative of the police, SP Richard Ekemerusu, commended the state government on the new station.
“One thing about the structure is that even though it is close to the river, water can never wash it away, there are boulders, which are big rocks arranged around the structure, preventing erosion from washing it away. The former structure that we were using was old, not befitting the status of the Police.
“But the present one is very beautiful, this one will help us to perform our duties well.
”There are a lot of things there. We have the security cameras. Inside, the personnel that are working can see far away from where the structure is located and criminals can be sighted far away.
