The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has continued to defend the justification for the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project, saying its construction is more economical compared to some projects inherited by the administration.
The minister disclosed this during an inspection tour of the road infrastructure project in Lagos.
The minister stated that he was ready to explain the figures to demonstrate the transparency and correctness of the project, describing the superhighway as an “evacuation corridor.”
Umahi’s latest explanation follows recent criticisms of the project by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“I don’t need to look at the books to run the figures to let you know that this project is very economical. It’s even more economical compared to some projects that we inherited in terms of cost per kilometre.
“So, I am ready to respond to anybody regarding the transparency and correctness of this project,” he said.
Providing updates on the project, the minister said the first 20 kilometres of the first phase of the road will be ready by May this year.
ALSO READ: CAN to Uba Sani: We’ll pray for your success
“We are monitoring the contractor to ensure that the sections scheduled for completion by May 25 are made available for Mr. President to commission. It will be a promise made and a promise kept. Let me say that we are very excited about the quality and speed of the work.
“The contractor is highly experienced. I don’t know whether they have a covenant with water because that’s one company that water respects very well. In most of the fillings, they have to wait for consolidation. I’m happy they have also acquired machines that help achieve consolidation in a very short time.
“So today, we are very pleased with what they have achieved in this section, at the end of Section 1, and at the beginning of Section 2. Every two weeks, we’ll return to reassure ourselves that this is a promise made and a promise kept. We are very excited,” the minister said.
He stated that once completed, the superhighway would connect to all existing roads and significantly ease transportation for Nigerians, reducing travel time between Lagos and Calabar from a full day to just five hours.
“That travel time will be achieved, and it may even be less. The Lagos-Calabar Highway is an evacuation corridor. In the next six months, we expect to have Section 1 completed,” he said.
According to him, the Federal Government will save the amounts currently spent on trans-shipment once the coastal highway is completed.
Additionally, he noted that the country would earn carbon credits both from the concrete pavement and the solar lighting.
“We’re going to have windmill energy supplying power to all the communities along the route. We will also have a train track running along the middle of the coastal highway,” Umahi explained.
and then