President Bola Tinubu has approved the re-award of the two bypasses of 2nd Niger Bridge linking to Asaba- Benin and Enugu-Onisha dual-carriageways.
Spokesperson to the Minister of Works, Barr. Uchenna Orji disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
Orji noted that this was in line with efforts of President Tinubu to give enduring solution to the perennial road infrastructure deficiencies in the oil-rich South South Geo-Political Zone of the country.
He also approved that Section III of Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, starting on the Cross River- Akwaibom axis of the superhighway and the East-West Road be given accelerated attention.
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi stated this when he received a delegation of South South Caucus of the 10th Assembly, Federal House of Representatives at the Ministry’s headquarters in Wednesday.
Speaking on the Renewed Hope Legacy Projects, Umahi said, “And so I want to commend the President very highly for the courage of this project. The four Legacy Projects of Mr. President is icing on the cake. We will finish the Lagos-Calabar 700 kilometers, and with your support and of course, by God’s special grace, the miracle of the second tenure will still come to pass, and so we have time to get this project fully completed”.
The Minister solicited for the support of the Federal Legislators and their respective constituencies to draw forth a sense of responsibility among the contractors handling projects in their domains.
While reeling out some projects in South South that were receiving attention by the President, he said, “Just yesterday, the Federal Executive Council re‐awarded three sections of East-West road.”
On Eleme- Onne road, he said, “We have agreed to commit RCC Ltd within the first carriageway of 15 kilometers, including one bridge and one flyover. But for us to get this road completed by December, as it should be, we must definitely need to engage two extra contractors”.
Other projects he mentioned include
Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highwaythe Second Niger Bridge, “the two bypasses, one in Delta State and the other one in Anambra State”.
Presenting his mission statement on behalf of the South South Caucus in the Federal House of Representatives, the leader of the caucus who doubles as the leader of Bayelsa State caucus, Hon. Agbedi Frederick, said their visit was to engage the Federal Ministry of Works on the state of the roads in South South.
Frederick however, commended Mr. President for the recent approval of funds by Federal Executive Council for the execution of some projects in South South, particularly the approval to have Section III of the Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway started in South South Zone.
He decried the difficulties faced by the South South States in connecting to one another and in connecting to the North, East, and West.
“Yes, we know that there are works, there are projects, there’s construction going on. But we want to seriously say that the work level is slow, and our people are suffering. Our people are really suffering.
“Today, it’s difficult for you to fly to Benin and access the other parts of Benin. Today, it’s difficult for you to land in Port Harcourt and even go through the industrial part of River State, particularly in the Eleme-Ogoni Axis. Today, if you fly to Akwa Ibom, it makes it absolutely difficult for you to access Cross River State and Calabar.”
He further appealed that contractors should assist their people through employment, empowerment, and skilled development as part of the Corporate Social Responsibility to the communities where they work.
In his remarks, the Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Mohammad Goronyo assured that the present government will fix the ailing roads but would require the support and cooperation of Nigerians.
