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.
Despite petitions from communities and stakeholders in Ondo State, Umahi claimed 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.
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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