BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi responding to questions from journalists, alongside members of the National Assembly and ministry officials during the inspection of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway over the weekend.
The Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi over the weekend, led members of the National Assembly Committees on Works, comprising Senate and House of Representatives to inspect and verify the ongoing construction works on Sections I and II of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
Other senior officials from the ministry also accompanied the NASS members in its bid to facilitate timely completion of the project.
News Rider reports that the coastal highway is one of the four legacy highway projects under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
It is an inter-state highway and economic corridor designed to traverse eight states along the coastal shoreline of the country, starting from Lagos, South West and ending in Cross River State, South South, consisting of 750 kilometres.
The tour commenced at the beginning of Section I, where the minister thanked NASS members for the oversight visit, adding that they witnessed the level of work carried out beneath the completed portion before applying cement.
Umahi said that decades of continuous dumping of refuse necessitated the removal of substantial quantities of unsuitable materials underground.
The contract was awarded to Messrs Hitech Construction Africa Limited. It captured the construction of a Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) dual-carriage highway with accompanying drainages and culverts, median barriers, street lightings, and the relocation of public utilities like electric cables, poles, gas and water pipelines.
Section I of the project, which was flagged off on May 24, 2024, is 103 kilometres and falls within the Lagos State border.
A phased execution of the project was adopted for ease of construction, beginning with Phase 1 of Section I, which is 47.4 kilometres in length; Ch.0+000 (Ahmadu Bello Way Junction, Victoria Island) – Ch. 47+474 (Eleko Village Junction). Phase 1, Section II has a total length of 55.6 kilometres, beginning from Ch. 47+474 - Ch. 103 + 000 (Ode - Omi, Lagos-Ogun Border).
The minister informed that the plethora of court cases and petitions are slowing down the flow of work, while appealing to the NASS members to advise other committees on the need to liaise with them before summoning officials of the ministry on frivolous matters concerning the project.
He revealed that the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice had set up a legal team to handle all pending cases in court.
Umahi enjoined aggrieved parties to stop playing politics with the viable project but approach the courts to seek redress like others, saying that Mr. President had graciously approved the payment of compensation to owners of properties within the project’s corridor, including person's that built illegal structures.
"We have a lot of people who are not interested in this job being done. Everything government wants to do, some people want to thwart it, "he added.
On Section II, he informed that the President had also given approval for the extension of the 7th Axial Road passing through the Dangote Refinery, Lekki Free Trade Zone and the Deep Sea Port built by Messrs Dangote Industries using Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme, to be linked with the Coastal Highway.
He stated that the two sections will be linked via a cable bridge, as obtained in other climes like Dubai in United Arab Emirates.
The Deputy Director of Highways, Bridges and Design, Engr. Musa Seidu hinted that work is going on concurrently at the two sections of the project.
This was collaborated by the Acting Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Engr. Olufemi Dare, who said that the demolition of structures on the alignment had reached an advanced stage.
Managing Director of Messrs Hitech Construction Africa Limited, Mr. Dany Abboud assured the team of the availability of adequate manpower and state-of-the-art equipment to complete the project, in line with designed specifications and timelines.
He promised to take them for an inspection of their construction yard.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Sen. Mpigi Barinada was convinced that the project was at no point abandoned, as speculated by some mischievous Nigerians.
While urging the ministry not to hesitate in approaching them on any thorny issue concerning the project, he appealed to the minister to urgently consider the other sections of the highway passing through the Niger Delta, being an indigene of the zone.
The Minority Whip of the Senate and a member of the Committee, Sen. Osita Ngwu advised the ministry to regularly update Nigerians about the pace of the project.
Chairman, House Committee on Works, Hon. Akin Alabi pledged the commitment and support of members, as well as the leadership of the House toward the successful and scheduled completion of the project.
He commended Mr. President for the legacy project, which he believed would boost socio-economic activities.
Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Onyechachi Nwebonyi applauded Mr President, Umahi and the contractor for the gigantic project that would strengthen the economy and benefit Nigerians tremendously.
Describing the project as a game changer, he was optimistic that the May 29, 2025 handover day for Section I is certain.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Mohammed Ahmed in Abuja on Saturday.
Comments
Post a Comment