The Federal Government has announced the immediate commencement of construction work on sections three and four of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, beginning from Calabar, the Cross River State capital.
Minister of Works David Umahi announced this at an engagement with representatives of communities within the alignment of the road between Eko Atlantic (Chainage Zero) and Eleko inside (Chainage) in Lagos on Thursday, May 23, 2024.
Umahi said section three of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway would start from Calabar and section four from Akwa Ibom State.
The minister said: “Let me announce also that Mr President has directed that section three that is starting from Calabar and section four that is starting from Akwa Ibom should commence immediately; and so, we are in the process of concluding the procurement.
“And for those who have been saying why not start these roads in Calabar, one, the zero point is Lagos and what wrong has Lagos done to these people?
“However, an impartial President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Sen. Bola Tinubu, has directed that section three and four be started from the end of the project. So while this is moving, the other one will be moving.
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“I’m sure that sections five and six will also start in places like Port Harcourt and Bayelsa.”
Umahi added that the president had given approval for the commencement of construction work on the road connecting Sokoto to Badagry in Lagos State.
He said: “At the last Federal Executive Committee meeting on Monday, Mr President also approved another project; because this road has two spurs, that we start the design and procurement of that Sokoto to Badagry.
“It’s 1,000 km, it’s running through a lot of irrigation, lands, and dams where you can have a lot of power generation and its running from Sokoto to Kebbi, Kebbi to Niger, Niger to Kwara, Kwara to Oyo, Oyo to Ogun State, and then to Badagry in Lagos State.”
The minister, who acknowledged potential criticism about the project’s scale and chosen sections, said section one, 47.7 kilometres, was ambitious for an interstate road project.
He said the federal government’s plan was to recoup construction costs through tolling and selling land along the road corridors.
The aim, according to him, is to create a scenic route similar to coastal highways in other countries.
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