The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi has revealed plans to name the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway after President Bola Tinubu.
Umahi disclosed this during a press briefing held in Abuja on Thursday.
He explained that the decision to name the highway after the President was unanimously agreed upon by the leadership of the Ministry of Works in recognition of his zeal for impeccable infrastructure across the country.
“By the power conferred on me as the Honourable Minister of Works, and in consultation with the Permanent Secretary, the Minister of State, the directors and the entire staff of the ministry, we have decided to name the entire Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“This is a dream that Mr. President had about 27 years ago. It is one thing to conceive a vision, but it is another thing to have the courage, leadership and God’s grace to bring that vision to reality. Today, President Tinubu is making that dream come alive for Nigerians”, he said.
The Minister informed that the coastal highway alongside projects like the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the Trans-Saharan Highway and the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe-Maiduguri Road Corridor were
the four legacy projects of the Tinubu administration.
He said work was progressing steadily on the various projects even as the President yesterday approved an additional 400 kilometres of dual carriageway on the Akwanga-Maiduguri corridor, increasing the project’s total length to approximately 1,100 kilometres.
Umahi further disclosed that President Tinubu approved the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway using reinforced concrete pavement technology.
He informed that the major sections of the road had failed in less than 10 years of usage, therefore, he said the adoption of concrete pavement will significantly improve the lifespan of the highway while reducing maintenance costs over the years.
The minister also confirmed the approval of the reconstruction of the Oba-Nnewi-Arondizuogu-Okigwe Road Corridor, which traverses Anambra, Imo and Abia states, as well as the Otuocha-Anam-Ibaji Road linking Anambra and Kogi states.
He listed several ongoing projects in the region, including the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, the Enugu-Abakaliki Road, the Second Niger Bridge bypass, the Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe Road, as well as other strategic federal highways connecting the South-East to neighbouring regions.
Umahi said the ongoing extension of the Trans-Saharan Highway into the South-East would further strengthen regional connectivity and economic integration.
The minister maintained that the administration’s four legacy highway projects were conceived to connect all six geopolitical zones, reduce travel time, promote interstate commerce, improve national security and stimulate economic growth.
“These legacy projects are not just roads; they are economic corridors that will transform transportation, open up new investment opportunities and drive Nigeria’s economic development for generations”, he said.
