
Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Governors of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, Pastor Umo Eno and Bassey Otu, have assured President Bola Tinubu led-Federal Government of maximum cooperation towards the actualization of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
The multi-trillion Naira 700km highway will link Lagos to Cross River State through the shoreline states of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Ogun, and Ondo, to enhance connectivity and economic growth in the coastal regions and is a key part of President Bola Tinubu’s economic recovery plans.
Speaking during a separate stakeholders’ engagement ceremony on the alignment of Sections 3 and 4 of the project, Governor Eno assured that the state government would liaise with groups, communities and stakeholders towards the smooth implementation of the Akwa Ibom portion of the coastal highway.
The Governor also charged the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, to revisit the 13 km road project, with bridge to connect Mbo in Akwa Ibom to Calabar in Cross River, which he said was awarded to CCECC by the Buhari administration but has since been abandoned.
He called on the Federal Government to expedite action to complete the Calabar-Itu Road as well as Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road considering its importance to the people of the South-South, South East, and indeed the entire nation.
Similarly, Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River State has pledged his commitment to supporting the successful execution of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project, which is scheduled to begin in Calabar axis in August.
Otu also assured the minister of works that the state government had secured the needed State Executive Council approval to pay compensation to ease the right of way for the contractors handling the Odukpani–Itu federal highway.
Speaking on the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project, the Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, said the project was one of President Tinubu’s legacies that would out-live his administration, adding that the President has directed his ministry to prioritize the completion of ongoing projects in the country in the 2025 budget rather than putting up new projects.
“Once completed, the highway is expected to facilitate smoother transportation of goods and people, boost trade activities, and spur regional development,” Umahi said.
He explained that the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway has section 3A, about 38km, joining from Akwa Ibom axis through Cross River State, adding that there will be a spur of the same coastal highway, about 92km in Cross River State, making it a total of 130km to be constructed within Cross River State.
According to the Minister of Works, the 92km spur in Cross River State will cross Enugu State, Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Abuja and Lagos states.
The Minister frowned at the poor handling of the existing contract of Odukpani-Itu federal highway, directing that the first warning will be issued to contractors to return to the site or risk revocation of their contracts.
President of the 10th Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on his part, acknowledged the benefits of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway for Akwa Ibom State and thanked the President for initiating the project as well as the Minister of Works for taking steps to actualize it.