The Lagos State Government has inaugurated a newly constructed police station for the Marine Division in Epe, replacing the old station marked for demolition to pave way for a road project.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the new station was handed over by the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Infrastructure, Olufemi Daramola, represented by Permanent Secretary, Ayodele Somide.
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, represented by Permanent Secretary, Ayodele Somide, said the old police station was marked for demolition because it was standing in the way of the ongoing 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, necessitated 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 the expansion of the road and other inner city roads in the town had become inevitable to eliminate potential gridlock and reduce travel time through improved road connectivity.
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, the one that will help us to perform our duties well.
”There are a lot of things there. You 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.
“With the CCTV camera, we are going to perform. We are performing very well, but this one is going to improve our performance, and we are going to make the citizens happy because our job is to protect the lives and property of residents,” he said.
