FG reveals date to open section 1 of Lagos-Calabar coastal highway

The Federal Government has announced that Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will be opened for public use between December 12 and December 17.

Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, gave the update in Lagos on Wednesday while inspecting ongoing work on the first segment of the 700km mega project.

According to Umahi, Section 1 spans 47.47 kilometres and features a dual carriageway with six lanes, marking a significant milestone in the phased construction of one of Nigeria’s most ambitious infrastructure projects.

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Umahi said: “We also set aside April next year to have Section 1 and half of Section 2 fully completed and commissioned.”

He said that the contractor handling the project, Hitech Construction Company Ltd., had achieved more than 80 per cent of the reinforced concrete pavement.

“We are very grateful to God Almighty for his mercies, and to the President and to the contractor.

“If we are to pay for everything they have done, it will be very difficult to have this job done because there are places we didn’t envisage that we were going to be removing pits up to a depth of 20 metres.

“They had to do that because they are partners in progress for the development of the country.

“We have just about three kilometres to complete the entire sand filling from Ahmadu Bello Way to Eleko Junction, and we are excited at the work and the quality of what has been done,” Umahi said.

The Controller of Works in Lagos, Mr. Olufemi Dare, praised the contractor for high quality of work.

He told the minister: “It may interest you to know that the building standing is the palace of this community, and you saved this building, and they are extremely happy.”

The Managing Director of Hitech Construction Company Ltd., Mr Dany Abboud, said that the company would still backfill from Chainage 34 to Chainage 37.

“Dredging is ongoing, we are on track to deliver.

“We are monitoring the settlement in the swampy areas and the water body areas due to the change of alignment,” he said.