By ABAH SUNDAY, Abuja
Nigeria’s Minister of Works Sen Nweze David Umahi has disclosed that at the instance of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he has started the design of 1,000kilometres (kms) Sokoto-Badagry Highway.
The Minister gave this indication during his inspection visit to the km 47 axis of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project at Eleko, Lagos State which the contractor moved to handle due to the ongoing demolition around the km 3- 4 of the highway.
He also spoke about the plan of the Renewed Hope administration of President Tinubu to connect the 6 -Geo- political Zones of the country with enduring network of road that will in turn foster a more secure, safer, and sustainable transportation ecosystem.
The Minister, accompanied by the Federal Controller of Works, Lagos State, Engr (Mrs) O. I. Kesha among other technical officers on the team of the ministry, revealed that he had received a directive by Mr. President to commence the immediate design of the Sokoto- Badagry Highway, which is a spur to the Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway.
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“And I’m happy that Mr President has also directed me to start the immediate design of the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, and that one is 1,000 kilometres . We’ve started the design, and I’m very sure that as soon as FEC approves it, we will be starting at Sokoto side, which is going to be the zero point.
In the course of the inspection, the Honourable Minister noted the need to realign the coastal highway around the axis of the Lekki Deep Sea Port at the point of km 47 by constructing a flyover bridge across the Dangote/ Hitech concrete pavement so as to align with the economic values of the coastal highway.
He commended Hitech Construction Nigeria Limited for the quality and speed of the job while expressing the hope that with their capacity and track records, and the manifest political will of Mr President, the 700 km project would be completed within the 8 years of the Renewed Hope administration, noting that the coastal highway project will connect the entire country through the spurs going to the North by both North East and North West as well as North Central.
On the much media hyped report on the impact of the demolition exercise along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway section 1, phase 1 as it affects the Landmark investment, the Minister made it clear that the Landmark properties were intact and that the owner of the investment has no title to the 250 metres shoreline which is the right of way belonging the federal government.
He said, “We are looking at the feelings of the people, and we’re looking at economic values by making sure that, as much as possible, we follow the coast and also follow the right of way that is legally within the right of way of the Federal Government. This is not to say that for the interest of the nation and in line with our laws that lands can not be acquired in the overall interest of the public.”