The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, on Sunday, inspected the progress of work on the 1st phase of the ongoing Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa-Abuja Superhighway, stressing that on completion, it would reduce travel time between Ebonyi State and Abuja to about three hours.
Umahi stated this while fielding questions from journalist during an inspection tour of the project in Ebonyi State.
Describing the project as one of President Tinubu’s flagship legacy infrastructure projects, Umahi said it was a transformative national project, designed to improve connectivity between the South-South, South-East and the North-Central regions.
He said the project was aimed at stimulating economic activities and ease the movement of people and goods.
According to him, the first section of the project stretches about 123.5 kilometres from Cross River through Ebonyi to the Benue boundary, while the second section, measuring 168 kilometres, has been awarded and will run through Benue, parts of Enugu, Kogi and terminate at Wote in Nasarawa State, before linking Abuja.
The minister explained that the highway connects seamlessly with other ongoing federal road projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Makurdi-Ninth Mile Road, creating a strategic transport corridor across the country.
Umahi said, “if you are in Ebonyi, you will get to Abuja in about three hours and from the South-South, you can get to Abuja in about six hours when these projects are completed.”
He commended the contractor handling the project, InfoQuest Nigeria Limited, for the quality and pace of work on the project, noting that construction was progressing simultaneously from multiple fronts to accelerate delivery.
The minister also explained that work was advancing from the Onueke axis and Ishieke Junction adding that additional construction teams would soon commence earthworks on different sections of the alignment.
Umahi also commended H-Link Construction Company for the ongoing flyover project at Onueke, and acknowledged the commitment of the contractor,
despite delays in payment.
He revealed that the Federal Government had approved the rehabilitation of the 7-kilometre section of the 19-kilometre Edembe Road in the Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State with work expected to commence in August.
The Works Minister appealed to Ebonyi State Government to facilitate the removal of structures affected by the project’s right-of-way, particularly around the Enugu-Abakaliki Road corridor, to pave the way for the construction of dual carriage ways and flyovers.
He said he was confident that the state government would provide the necessary support and cooperation as was demonstrated during the Onueke flyover project.
Umahi assured Nigerians maximum
insecurity in parts of Benue State where the highway passes, contending that adequate security measures had been put in place to protect workers and the project.
He said President Tinubu had directed security agencies to ensure that construction was not disrupted by criminal elements.
The minister used the occasion to defend the infrastructure drive of President Tinubu’s administration, pointing out that
ongoing road projects across the country were clear evidence of his government’s commitment to national development.
He dismissed criticisms from opposition politicians, particularly the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, arguing that the administration’s achievements in road infrastructure spoke for themselves.
According to Umahi, “borrowing to finance critical infrastructure is an investment in Nigeria’s future because improved transportation networks would drive economic growth, enhance productivity and attract investment.
He maintained that President Tinubu’s legacy projects, including the Calabar-Abuja Superhighway, Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, are enough to redefine Nigeria’s road infrastructure and boost national integration.
Post a Comment