…Minister has achieved target on hitchfree movements on festive period, says Orji
From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Following the rising incidence of inflation and cost of construction, Minister of Works, Engineer Nweze Dave Umahi has submitted a fresh proposal to the federal government for funds to complete some inherited federal projects across the country.
Speaking to Daily Sun on the federal roads projects and minister’s promise to ensure free movements for travellers during the festive period, Special Assistant to the minister, Orji Uche Orji, discountenanced reports that the minister has failed in his promise to make all federal highways motorable and hitchfree during the festive period.
According to him, so far nobody has complained or reported on social media of delays on the road.
“Work has intensified this period to make sure that those travelling for the Yuletide have hitchfree movements.
This is in accordance with the minister’s promise to ensure that nobody sleeps on the roads or has unnecessary delays.
“I have not seen any social media where they are being held for one day or one night. It’s a major target which we have achieved” he said.
Work, he acknowledged, is going on along Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. He noted that some contractors (who are not Christians) don’t observe these holidays. To them, it’s normal holidays. So, everybody is working, Orji noted.
“Our target is to make all the roads motorable especially in this festive period. Up till now nobody has complained. I have not seen any social media where they are being held for one day or one night. It’s a major target. Another one, of course, is to continue inherited ongoing projects which is being done but because of this issue of inflation we are battling with contractors. Some have been terminated. Some are being re-evaluated. What the minister is doing is to have a phased progress of work. Phased progress in the sense that we select five projects each from each zone for immediate and accelerated funding.Once they are completed, the remaining will be selected in the life of this administration. The idea is to get money and fund some selected ones. After that, others will be selected for adequate funding” he stated.
Recall that the minister had earlier informed that the four Renewed Hope legacy projects and the inherited ongoing projects were on course and that milestone project execution was adopted to ensure a sense of equality among the six geo-political zones. Umahi said that some of the sections of the projects being executed nationwide, including the inherited ongoing projects, would be ready for commissioning by May 2025.
“Work is progressing on Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. We have the Sokoto- Badagry Superhighway. Work is seriously in progress on the project. The first 120 km, work is going on Sokoto. It has been procured. And work is going on by Hitech, using concrete. And then, you have the Kebbi section, 250 km. Work is also going on there. And so, we believe strongly that we’ll be able to have about 20 km in both sections to be commissioned by May 29. In section one of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in South West, we are very sure that we’ll commission the first 20 km in section one and 10 km in section two” he said