By Onu Okorie
The Minister of Works Engr. Dr. Nweze David Umahi has expressed the plan of the Renewed Hope administration of the President of Nigeria, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to connect the 6 -Geo- political Zones of the country with enduring network of road that will in turn foster a more secure, safer and sustainable transportation ecosystem. The Minister gave this indication during his inspection visit to the km 47 axis of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project at Eleko, Lagos State which the contractor moved to handle due to the ongoing demolition around the km 3- 4 of the highway.
Speaking during the visit, the Minister, accompanied by the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Engr. (Mrs) O. I. Kesha and other technical team of the Ministry,, revealed that he had received a directive by Mr. President to commence the immediate design of the Sokoto- Badagry Highway, which is a spur to the Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway. He stated, “And I’m happy that Mr. President has also directed me to start the immediate design of the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, and that one is 1,000 kilometers . We’ve started the design, and I’m very sure that as soon as FEC approves it, we will be starting at Sokoto side, which is going to be the zero point.
In the course of the inspection, the Minister noted the need to realign the coastal highway around the axis of the Lekki Deep Sea Port at the point of km 47 by constructing a flyover bridge across the Dangote/ Hitech concrete pavement so as to allign with the economic values of the coastal highway. He stated, “We have chosen another alignment that is going to be parallel to the road that is going to the Lekki Deep Sea port at kilometer 47. And that’s the end of section one of phase one. And so we are very happy with that decision. We use a flyover to fly over the Dangote HiTech road that is coming from Lekki Deep Sea port going to Epe and joining the road that is going from Lekki Deep Sea to Lagos being done by the State Government.”
He commended Hitech Construction Nigeria Limited for the quality and speed of the job and hoped that with their capacity and track records, and the manifest political will of Mr. President, the 700 km project would be completed within the 8 years of the Renewed Hope administration of Mr. President, noting that the coastal highway project will connect the entire country through the spurs going to the North by both North East and North West as well as North Central. He said, “We are very, very excited with the quality of work they are doing, with the speed of work. It gives us the confidence that this Coastal road will be constructed within the two times tenure of Mr. President.” He further stated, “We also have another spur that is going to go from Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja going to Cameroon. And so we have that spur. It’s about 361 kilometers going through Otukpo to Benue, Nasarawa, and ends up at Apo in Abuja. We are also going to be presenting it to Mr. President. When this is done, then the coastal road, like we promised, is going to circle the entire country.”
On the much media hiped report on the impact of the demolition exercise along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway section 1, phase 1 as it affects the Landmark investment, the Honourable Minister made it clear that the Landmark properties were intact and that the owner of the investment has no title to the 250 meters shoreline which is the right of way belonging the Federal Government. He said, “We are looking at the feelings of the people, and we’re looking at economic values by making sure that, as much as possible, we follow the coast and also follow the right of way that is legally within the right of way of the Federal Government. This is not to say that for the interest of the nation and in line with our laws that lands can not be acquired in the overall interest of the public.”
