Tinubu To Inaugurate Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway Next Phase, August 

The Federal Government has announced plans to inaugurate the next phase of Lagos- Calabar Coastal highway from Cross River to Akwa Ibom.

This is in continuation of the government’s efforts to sustain the on-going infrastructural developments drive in line with its Renewed Hope Agenda.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this at the stakeholders engagement meeting held at Ibom hall in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on Saturday.

In a statement by the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Edet Ekpenyong, yesterday, the minister was quoted as saying, “We are here to introduce Section Three and Four of the famous Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway.

“We started and awarded Section One which started in Lagos and terminated at deep port in Lagos and is at 47.4km.

“There is Section Two that is starting at Lekki Deep Sea Port and taking it to the famous Dangote Refinery.

“The President has graciously directed that Section Three and Four must start at Cross River and stop at Akwa Ibom.”

Umahi added that “Section Three has 27 km on Akwa Ibom land 38 km on Cross River State. While Section Four is entirely on Akwa Ibom that is 80km. When you add 27km and 80km, you have 107km. So, you are benefiting from maximising this coastal highway.

“When we complete the procurement process and award this Section 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.”

Meanwhile, Umahi has asked construction giants, Julius Berger, China Civil Engineering and Construction Company and the Raynolds Construction Company to mobilize to the site or risk termination of their contracts.

Umahi said this while speaking during the Stakeholders’ Engagement on Alignment of 3b and 4 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway held at Ibom Hall, Uyo Akwa Ibom State, on Saturday.

The minister said after the expiration next week of the 14 notices earlier given to the contractors, any of them who failed to mobilize to the site will have its contract terminated.

Umahi expressed disappointment that the contractors had been giving excuses of non-payment of compensation as reasons for not mobilizing to the site while noting that the Akwa Ibom State Government had already settled the compensation issues as it concerns Calabar-Itu road.

He said, “If you talk to them, they will say it is because of compensation and this governor, Akwa-Ibom State, had settled compensation issues, so we are giving them a marching order to ECECC to mobilize at least 3 sections of that road.

“Mr President has given enough money to fund the projects. The same thing with Julius Berger, by the end of this coming week, if Julius Berger fails to remobilize to the site and the ECECC fails to mobilize to at least 3 sections of the road, the jobs will be terminated.

“The worst of the road in the entire South-South remains this Akwa Ibom to Cross River through Itu and Odukpani and also the section that is being done by RCC. RCC had collected over N40bn on that road 15 kilometres of roads, N156bn inherited from the past administration, they are playing tricks. We have been on them to change their mindset, and by the end of next week, our 14 days notice of termination of the contract will elapse, and we will terminate the projects and give to those who have mastery of laying concrete.”

Also speaking at the event, the Senate President, Senator, Godswill Akpabio, expressed his appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for listening to his plea to start Section Three and Four of the coastal highway in Cross River State to Akwa Ibom.

He called on the Akwa Ibom State Governor , Pastor Umo Eno, to give maximum support to the Federal Government.