Minister of Works Senator Dave Umahi has said that President Bola Tinubu will flag-off construction of the Akwa Ibom and Cross states portions of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway in August.
The portions to be inaugurated in the two sister states totalling 107km are Sections 3B and 4 covering, Umahi said.
The Minister said this while addressing the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Akwa Ibom Governor Umo Eno and other leaders of the State.
Speaking during the stakeholders’ engagement on alignment for construction of the Highway, Umahi also hinted on the Federal Government’s resolve to terminate contracts of some erring construction companies.
He mentioned that the contract of RCC on the Eleme to Onne stretch of the East West Road and those of Julius Berger and CCECC on the Calabar-Itu Road may be terminated.
The Minister said the construction companies are not committed to delivering on the roads and threatened to revoke their contracts if they do return to sites and display commitment “when the 14 day window ends this week.”
Umahi explained the Calabar-Akwa Ibom axis of the Coastal Highway involves 27km Section 3B linking Cross Rivers to Akwa Ibom and 80km Section 4 within Akwa Ibom alone.
Both Sections totalling 107km transverse communities including Esuk Inwang, Ndom Ebom, Ikot Akpabio, Ikot Inyang, Nsia Oron, Oyoku Asang, Urua Okok, Ekpene Edi, Ntete, Esuk Ntete, Akepeti Creek, Kwa Ibo, Atabrikang Aquaha, Atabrikang Ekeme, Iko, Amadaka and Okoro Inyong.
On the Coastal Highway, Umahi said: “We have awarded the contract and started Section 1 which starts from Ahmadu Bello Way in Lagos and terminates at Deep Sea Port at 47.47km on six lanes with a train track in the middle.
“We started Section 2 from the Lekki Deep Sea Port where you have the famous Dangote Refinery, Fertilizer, the Deep Sea Port of Lagos State Government and other blue ships industries all within that location, about 30km in length that covers that Deep Sea.
“We’ve started the second section there, ending at the border between Lagos and Ogun, a total of 55.77km, for Section 2. And Mr President directed that Sections 3 and 4 must start at Cross Rivers and Akwa Ibom.
“On the whole, Akwa Ibom is benefiting 107km, about the 4th in length in the comity of states along the Coastal Highway. We have done about 3km fully completed on Section 1 and working in both Sections on 1 and 2. As soon as we finish procurement on Sections 3 and 4, work will start in many sub-sessions all at the same time.”
He added: “When we started the Coastal Highway there were a lot of doubts whether it would be done, a lot of insinuations on the benefits. But I’m grateful that within three, four weeks we’ve demonstrated the sagacity, courage and determination of President Tinubu as a man that matches words with action. And so we are happy with the level of commendation and support we have received from Nigerians.
“There are so many benefits of this Highway I have enumerated. But if you look at the Lagos Section, we have been having a lot of problems and spending lots of money because of the shallow nature of Apapa Wharf.
“With this Highway and Deep Sea Ports, that Section becomes an evacuation corridor for a lot of people doing business, it’s also an evacuation corridor to the SouthSouth, East and North.”
Umahi hoped the project, when completed, will transform the economy of the entire nation aside from the jobs and contract opportunities for the people.
On the non-commitment of contactors on the Calabar-Itu Road, the Minister said, “By end of this coming week, if Julius Berger fails to re-mobilise to site and CCECC fails to re-mobilise to at least 3 Sessions, their jobs will be terminated.”
On the worrisome Eleme-Onne Section on the East West Road, Umahi said, “The worst of the roads in the entire SouthSouth that Section on the East West Road. RCC has collected over N40billion. 15km of Road, N156billion inherited from the past administration.”
In a related development, Akpabio also called on the Governor Eno and the people of the state to give absolute support to the contractors that would be handling the Akwa Ibom – Calabar axis of the Coastal Highway.
A statement by his Special Assistant on Media to the Senate President, Jackson Udom, in Abuja, quoted the President of the Senate as saying,” I am very happy because people that are supposed to be here are here. Let me at this point, appeal for the support and cooperation of the Akwa Ibom State Government and my brothers and sisters for the construction companies, who would be handling this road project.”
