S’South section begins August as FG suspends new roads

The Federal Government has commenced the construction of the South-South axis of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway just as it suspended new road projects.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, declared that the Federal Government would not embark on any new road project in 2025, citing paucity of funds.

He said this during the stakeholders’ engagement on the proposed alignment for section 3A – 38km of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which took place at the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar, on Sunday.

The stakeholders’ engagement was a follow-up to the one held earlier on Saturday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Umahi explained that the Federal Government would rather concentrate on inherited projects and the three legacy road projects of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the Bola Tinubu administration.

Legacy projects

The legacy projects include the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway –a 1,000km highway connecting Sokoto to Badagry passing through seven states and connecting to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway at Ahmadu Bello Way, Lagos; the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway – a 700km coastal highway connecting from Lagos State to Cross River State through eight states; and the Calabar-South East-North Central-Apo Abuja 477km Superhighway, connecting Calabar to Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi, and Nasarawa states and terminating at Apo in Abuja.

He explained that construction works at the Calabar end of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway would commence in August.

The minister said, “We will not be embarking on any new road project in 2025. This is because of the paucity of funds. We would rather concentrate on inherited projects and the legacy projects of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. These projects are dear to the President and he is desirous of delivering on these projects.”

The minister also reiterated the ultimatum issued to contractors handling government road projects that they either sit up or lose their contracts.

Speaking during the presentation of the routes of section 3A and the Trans-Africa Highway traversing Cross River through Ebonyi, Kogi, Nasarawa and Abuja, Umahi expressed dismay at the slow pace of work on the Akwa Ibom and Cross River-Calabar-Itu section awarded to three contractors.

Reiterating his earlier ultimatum, Umahi said, “If Julius Berger (Plc) fails to return to the site at the expiration of the seven-day ultimatum issued today (Sunday), we will terminate the contract. Sermatech Limited, an indigenous contractor, did a better job than Berger.

“Sustenance is based on the improvement of our roads. Contractors are playing tricks on our road construction; if we put one kobo in his hands he must give us an affidavit. The contractor must put his feet on the throttle. If you are climbing the hill, will you remove your leg from the throttle? No.”

He warned contractors who think it was s ‘business as usual’ when handling government projects that the old order had changed, insisting that no amount of lobby would save them if they failed to perform.

He reiterated the resolve of the Tinubu administration to complete all inherited road projects and the three legacy road projects under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

He added that other projects related to the three legacy projects would be assessed to know the extent of work and what needed to be done.

Umahi said “Construction will begin on the two sections of the road in Cross River State and one section in Akwa Ibom State simultaneously.

Stakeholders’ engagement

“After this stakeholders’ engagement, we get the design and start the procurement. We are very sure that in August, construction will start in this state.

“I will not allow construction to start only from Akwa Ibom, but ensure that construction starts in three sections –  two in Cross River and one in Akwa Ibom states, respectively.

“The projects are going to have a rail track; We started with the tracks in the the middle in section two, but we have redesigned it to have the tracks by the side.”

Umahi craved the support of relevant stakeholders in the state to ensure a seamless execution of the project.

The minister eulogized the Governor of Cross River State, Senator Basset Otu, for his cooperation with the Federal Government on the road projects.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Peter Odey, pledged further cooperation and collaboration of the state with the Ministry of Works in delivering the road projects on schedule.

The state Surveyor-General, Patrick Bassey, called for a robust collaboration amongst stakeholders, asking that no Certificate of Occupancy should be issued on the project route.

Stakeholders, including prominent traditional rulers, former deputy governors, politicians, religious leaders and other leaders of thought, solicited the Federal Government’s intervention on other important and key roads in the state, stressing that such an intervention would open up the state for economic prosperity.

The members of the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Works accompanied the minister to the engagement.

The minister gave a breakdown of the project phases in Uyo a day earlier.

He said, “We are here to introduce sections three and four of the famous Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway. We started and awarded section one which started in Lagos and terminated at the deep port in Lagos which is at 47.4km.

“There is section two that is starting at Lekki Deep Sea Port and taking it to the famous Dangote Refinery. Section three has 27 km on Akwa Ibom land, 38km on Cross River State. While section four is entirely on Akwa Ibom, that is 80km, when you add 27 km and 80km, you have 107km. So, you are benefiting from maximising this coastal highway.

“When we complete the procurement process and award sections three and four, work will start in many sub-sections of this section all at the same time.

“Tinubu is a man who matches his words with actions. So, we are happy with the level of commendations and support we received from Nigerians and so many benefits of the coastal highway.”

Speaking at the event, the Senate President, Senator, Godswill Akpabio, expressed his appreciation to the President for listening to his plea to start sections three and four of the coastal highway in Cross River State to Akwa Ibom.

He called on the Akwa Ibom State governor to give maximum support to the Federal Government.