Nigeria’s Minister of Works Dave Umahi says Section 1 of the Trans-Sahara Highway in Ebonyi has reached 45 per cent completion, with more than 2,000 workers currently engaged.
Umahi said on Saturday during an inspection of the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Nasarawa-Abuja section of the Trans-Sahara Highway, commended the quality of work by the contractor.
The minister said that the project remained a major Nigerian Government intervention to open up the South-East to greater economic opportunities, strengthen inter-state connectivity and enhance security.
“Section One is about 45 per cent completion. The quality of the concrete pavement is top-notch,” Umahi said.
He explained that the section covered about 125.5 kilometres, beginning from the Ndibe Beach axis and passing through Akpoha, Abomege, Amudo and Onueke, as well as parts of Ezza North and Ebonyi Local Government Areas.
According to him, some portions of the alignment are being dualised in response to increasing economic activities and urban development, citing the 8.9-kilometre stretch around Afikpo and the 2-kilometre section at Abomege.
Umahi also disclosed that Section 2, extending into Benue and other parts of the country, covered about 173.6 kilometres and had a contract value of approximately N683 billion.
He said that the Nigerian Government had already paid 30 per cent of the contract sum, stressing that there was no financial constraint preventing the contractor from accelerating construction.
Umahi said that the completed highway would reduce travel time and facilitate easier movement of agricultural produce, goods and people.
He said security infrastructure, including closed-circuit television cameras and solar-powered lighting, would also be incorporated into the project.
The minister further disclosed that the contractor had employed more than 2,000 people within Section 1, describing the development as a significant source of direct and indirect employment.
Earlier, the Engineer in charge of Section 1, Mohammed Mustapha, said that construction had made significant progress from Afikpo toward the Mbeke axis.
“We are almost at 40 per cent of the project, starting from Afikpo to reach Mbeke here,” Mustapha said.
The Engineer in charge of Section 2, Rabih Munayyar, said the contractor was accelerating mobilisation and construction activities, including bush clearing and other preparatory works.
Munayyar commended Umahi’s technical supervision, saying: “I have never seen anybody so technically professional. Really, I’m impressed.”
Mr Maxwell Oko, acting Controller of the Trans-Sahara Road Project in Ebonyi, said the inspection point was at kilometre 118+300 of Section 2.
Oko said Section 1 ran from the Ndibe Beach axis through several communities in Ebonyi, with major structures including flyovers at Onueke and Ukwachi Junctions, alongside other proposed and ongoing bridge works.
He said Section 1 was awarded at approximately N454 billion, while Section 2 was awarded to Infiouest International at about N683 billion.
GIK/APA