100km Coastal Road to pass through Edo
The incentives awarded to companies under the NNPCL’s Tax Credit Scheme for road construction were terminated due to delays and poor delivery, Works Minister David Umahi said yesterday.
The minister said this while inspecting the Benin-Warri dual carriageway bypass in Edo State.
Umahi, who was accompanied by Governor Monday Okpebholo, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the continuation of all road projects under the scheme, despite the stoppage.
Acknowledging funding challenges following the termination, the minister recounted how Okpebholo was contacted to take over the first 23 kilometres of the road.
“The contract was terminated after months of delay and poor work. We appealed to Governor Okpebholo to take over the first 23 kilometres, which he promptly awarded to CBC. The quality of their work is commendable,” Umahi said.
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The minister urged the governor to extend his intervention to an additional nine kilometres, applauding his willingness to collaborate with the Federal Government.
In 2021, the NNPCL launched the first phase of funding road projects with N621.24 billion for 21 roads across the six geopolitical zones.
The affected roads included Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa/Bokani Junction Road (sections I and II) in Kwara and Niger states; the Suleja-Minna Road, and emergency repairs on the Mokwa-Makera-Tegina toward the Kaduna state boundary.
The Nation recalls that in 2023, the NNPCL got approval to invest N1.9 trillion in the reconstruction of 44 federal roads, including the East-West Road, the Port Harcourt-Onne Junction upgrade, the Eket bypass, and the construction of the Nembe-Brass Road in Bayelsa State.
Commenting on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, Umahi said President Tinubu had approved that 100-kilometre stretch of the highway should pass through Edo State.
The minister said Edo was not originally included in the highway’s alignment.
Other states benefiting from the project include Lagos (100 km), Ogun and Ondo (82 km), Akwa Ibom (65 km), and Cross River (27 km).
He said: “Mr. President has directed that 100 kilometres by two lanes of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway must now pass through Edo. This is a special gift to the people of Edo.
“The President, impressed by your governor’s commitment to infrastructure, insisted that the state must benefit…”
Umahi said the President was focused on delivering durable roads designed with reinforced concrete technology to last between 50 and 100 years, despite criticism from some quarters.
The minister decried the appalling condition of federal roads in Edo State inherited by the Tinubu administration, describing them as tragic and unacceptable.
He hailed President Tinubu for his swift intervention and commitment to reversing decades of infrastructural decay across the country.
According to him, no motorist could travel 100 kilometres on federal roads nationwide without encountering major challenges.
“President Tinubu met an overwhelming situation in terms of roads and bridges. You can’t travel 100 kilometres on federal roads without encountering serious difficulties. But the President is showing resolve, and Nigerians are already commending his efforts,” said Umahi.
Okpebholo said he intervened because he was disturbed by the sight of multiple accidents and stranded motorists.
“I almost wept when I saw the number of vehicles, including trailers, that had broken down or fallen on this road. The situation demands urgent action, and I am glad the Minister has joined us to push for solutions.
“We are determined to fix this road. If I do my part and the Federal Government does its part, nobody will criticise the President. For our people to trust us, we must act. With more contractors on site, this project can be delivered on schedule,” he said.
