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By Chukwuma Umeorah
The Federal Government is adopting advanced engineering solutions to tackle swampy terrains and deep pits threatening the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
This was disclosed during an oversight visit by the House of Representatives Committee on Works to the project site in Lagos yesterday.
Members of the committee stated that Hi-Tech Construction Company was deploying a combination of concrete embankments, geofabrics and other stabilisation techniques to secure the road’s integrity.
Hi-Tech’s Project Manager, Dany Abboud, outlined the challenges faced and measures being taken to address them.
“We are experiencing some delays with some of the swampy areas. We have encountered very deep pits and some settlements. And we don’t intend to deliver any substandard job to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“We are doing all we can, including extensive designs and studies, to minimise the impact on the Federal Government and at the least possible cost,” he said.
Abboud pointed to specific problem zones, particularly around kilometre 31.5, where swampy conditions have caused soil subsidence. He explained that a mix of sand, geofabrics and concrete protection is being applied to ensure stability.
“If you look at the level where we are standing, it is lower than the peak level because that was pushed by us.
“There will be no retaining walls. The area will be properly protected with sand, and if necessary, with chutes, stone pitching and geofabrics.”
He added that the height of the embankment would also be reinforced. “The embankment will be protected with concrete to prevent any form of illegal mining in the future, as this would compromise the road’s integrity.”
Abboud disclosed that Hi-Tech had already completed between 8.5 and 9 kilometres of concrete road on both sides of the first section, from kilometre 47.5, in line with its commitment.
Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Akin Alabi, commended the pace and quality of the project, saying, “From the technical point of view to the pace of work, and when I look at the books and see the amount released to Hi-Tech, I can confidently say you are doing more than has been released to you.”
He stressed that while progress was commendable, complacency must be avoided. “There’s still a lot of work to be done. This project is a legacy project of this administration. It’s going to boost virtually every sector of the economy,” he added.
Alabi also assured of legislative support for additional funding, especially for areas not originally captured.
“They have proven that the little they have received was used judiciously, so there’s no reason we would not approve more. And I have the authority of the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abass, that whatever they need within reasonable limits, the parliament would approve.”
Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Lagos, Olukorede Kesha, expressed concerns over the delicate nature of the terrain, stressing that speed must not compromise quality.
“Engineering is no magic. Though we want to solve situations, we do not want to place something on the ground and waste the scarce resources of the nation.
“We need to watch how the field material behaves under pressure. Ordinarily, we’re supposed to leave this for a minimum of 18 months.
“In Lagos-Badagry, we had similar issues. Two rainy seasons must pass over it before we open it to traffic. Otherwise, it’s going to settle,” she said
Kesha praised the contractor’s diligence and capacity. “Hi-Tech’s team is second to none. We are working closely with them. We monitor every stage and every shift. We check the materials and conduct all the tests. We don’t leave anything to chance.”
