President Bola Tinubu has directed that the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway be re-routed through the existing East-West road from Ondo into Edo State, Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has said.
Umahi relayed that the directive was intended to prevent the
construction of a new alignment along the corridor.
“Divert, do not do any new alignments. Pass the coastal
highway through the existing East-West road,” the minister quoted Tinubu as
saying.
He added that the decision was also informed by flooding
challenges along the East-West road, particularly around the Ughelli axis in
Delta state.
Umahi said the road was constructed before the effects of
climate change were adequately anticipated, adding that recent flooding had
raised concerns about its vulnerability.
He said Sheriff Oborevwori, Delta state governor, had
intervened over the flooding, while the federal government is planning to raise
the road in several locations.
According to the minister, the plan is to raise sections of
the East-West road by about two metres above the existing level and anticipated
flood levels.
Umahi also defended the realignment of sections of the
coastal highway in Ondo state, saying the original route presented significant
engineering challenges.
“I am aware of petitions against me saying I diverted the
Ondo section. I welcome that,” he said.
“But the important thing is whether you are doing the right
thing or the wrong thing. We have no regret for decisions taken in Ondo.”
The minister said the federal government had redesigned the
route to avoid the difficult terrain and is undertaking extensive filling
works.
“We had to take a very serious engineering decision by
making a detour, redesigning it to avoid such route,” he said.
“We are doing filling of over 10 metres, which is 30 feet
plus, with sharp sand, and filling is almost concluded.”
He added that the initial alignment passed through pits more
than 100 metres deep and areas without suitable sharp sand for construction up
to a depth of 300 metres, which would have significantly increased costs.
He said the realignment affects sections 4A and 4B, covering
a total of 67 kilometres, with 27 kilometres in Ogun state and about 40
kilometres in Ondo state.
Umahi said the corridor would terminate around the Ondo-Edo
axis, while the 45-kilometre Benin bypass was designed to ease traffic
congestion within Benin City.
He put the length of the Ondo-Edo corridor, including the
bypass, at 104 kilometres.
UMAHI GIVES UPDATE ON WIDER COASTAL HIGHWAY PROJECT
Providing an update on the wider Lagos-Calabar coastal
highway project, Umahi said section one, a 47.47-kilometre stretch from
Victoria Island in Lagos, had been completed and is ready for commissioning.
He said the dual pavement on section two, covering 55
kilometres and terminating at the Lagos-Ogun boundary, is expected to be
completed the following month.
Umahi said the ministry has redesigned flyovers, overpasses
and underpasses along the section, particularly around the Dangote Refinery and
Lekki Deep Seaport, to address traffic conflicts involving major infrastructure
projects.
At the Calabar end, he said sections 3A and 3B, covering 65
kilometres, had reached more than 30 percent completion.
He added that work is ongoing on section five, an
82-kilometre dual carriageway in Akwa Ibom state, as well as an 88-kilometre
link from Calabar to Ebidi beach intended to connect with the Trans-Saharan
route.
The minister also said route surveys and procurement were
ongoing for a 129-kilometre dual carriageway from the Edo-Delta boundary to the
Delta-Bayelsa boundary, with construction expected to begin in November.
He listed other projects in the Niger Delta, including the
15-kilometre Eleme junction-to-Onne road and the 9.7-kilometre Eket bypass.
Umahi said contractors had also been mobilised for emergency
repairs and reconstruction on the road linking Akwa Ibom to Calabar through
Odukpani, adding that the contract previously handled by CCECC had been reduced
in scope due to funding constraints.
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