NASS assures Ministry of Works

The National Assembly has assured the Ministry of Works of adequate budgetary provision for the completion of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway which has a contract sum of N1.08 billion.

The Chairman, joint National Assembly Committee on Works, Sen. Barinada Mpigi, gave the assurance when he led members of the joint National Assembly Committee on Works on oversight visit to some selected federal highway projects in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Coastal Highway is an inter-state highway that is proposed to traverse about nine states along the coastal shoreline of the country.

The 750km highway, handled by Hitech Construction Africa Ltd., will start from Lagos, and would terminate in Cross River, with a spur to the north central part of Nigeria.

Mpigi who expressed the National Assembly’s support for speedy completion of the work, appreciated the level of work done so far.

“The coastal road is real and is life and I can testify that the ministry is doing the right thing. And with the expectant period, it is achievable, he said.

On his part, Chairman House Committee on Works, Rep. Akin Alabi, said that the house of representatives would work with the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the the two committees on appropriation for adequate funding of the road.

“We are going to work with both the Senate President, the Speaker and the committees on appropriation to make sure funding is not what will delay the project.

“We have seen it over and over again in this country, where you have great intention when you want to begin a project, but along the line, you will run into trouble.

“But this is a project everyone is committed, both the Executive and the Legislature and it must be delivered. We must make sure that every fund released are accounted for it.

“This is the kind of project, a legacy project that will put smile on people’s faces and we are all committed to achieving it,” Alabi said.

Also, the Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, lauded the commitment of the contractor, Hitech Construction Company on the level of work so far done.

“We commend Hitech. We are very confident that this project which is 700 kilometres, the phase two will be executed successfully under President Tinubu.

“As a former governor of Lagos, he even acquired the right of way for the coastal highways but could not get a contractor at that point to start it.

“He is a man that is very committed to development. We are submitting everything about this project to the President and he will be relating with national assembly in terms of funding.

“Whatever funds that the national assembly will give us will be properly utilised.

” When we construct roads under the renewed hope of the president, it will last for hundred years. He is the father of concrete technology in the country, ” Umahi said.

Additionally, Umahi said that when lands along the corridors of the coastal highways are aquired by government, it would be a gold mine and it would help to pay back for the funding of the project.

The Managing Director Hitech, Mr Dany Abboud, said that the company was committed to finishing the project within the stipulated time.

“We assure you that we are fully committed to do this project as per the directives of the Federal Government through the ministry of works to do it within 36 months. It will be hopefully and willingly done within 36 months if not before,” he said.(NAN)

By Naomi Sharang/Lydia Ngwakwe