Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project to be completed before May 29, 2031, says Umahi
3 min read
.…Signs EPC+F contract with Hitech Nig. Ltd
By Chris Ochayi
The Federal Government has assured that the ongoing 750km Lagos -Calabar Coastal Highway project would be fully completed before the end of the 2nd tenure of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in office on May 29, 2031.
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi gave the assurance during the signing of the EPC+F contract component of the Coastal Highway Project with Messrs. Hitech Construction Company Nig. Ltd.
The EPC+F contract component of the project will pave the ways for foreign financing of the project to fast track the performance and completion.
Those who witnessed the signing ceremony include the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. O. O. Adebiyi, the Director of Legal Services, Barr. Clement Assam, the Ag. Director Road Design, Engr. Musa Saidu,, the Managing Director of Hitech Construction Ltd, Dany Abboud and his team.
Engr. Umahi, while speaking further, expressed deep gratitude to God Almighty for the initiative of the legacy project which was the dream of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu years back and for coming to fruition under the Renewed Hope administration.
He assured that with the capacity of the contractor and the manifest political will of Mr. President, the 750km Lagos – Calabar Coastal Highway project would be fully achieved by the power of God before the end of the 2nd tenure of Mr. President.
According to him, “We’re very grateful to God Almighty for this project that Mr. President initiated. A dream of about 27 years back is made flesh before us, and we are fortunate to be part of this wonderful, evolving, mega project, biggest ever known in Africa- the Lagos-Calabar Superhighway.
“So today, we have signed the EPC+F contract, which is Engineering, Procurement, Construction plus Finance.”
Emphasizing on the importance of the agreement, Umahi said: “Now the beauty of it is that the F component of EPC + F is what is being fulfilled today. So, by signing this EPC + F contract, it is paving the way for the contractor through the Federal Ministry of Finance to bring in foreign investment into this project.
“The federal government commitment is 30% counterpart funding, which the President is fulfilling.”
He further said, “And now there is a foreign component of the project, that is, foreign financing that will come in, it’s going to fast track the performance of this project, and I’m happy with the performance of Hitech, with the quality of work they are doing and the speed of work.
“If not for settlement of a very high fee, we would have been able to commission the entire first section within one year of the project, even though it is for 36 months.”
Praising the tenacity of Mr. President, in realizing this lofty dream, he said, “It is a very wonderful thing to witness this and to be part of it.
“And we will continue to pray for Mr. President, we will continue to support him, and we must continue to say that given the two tenures of Mr. President, Nigerians are assured that the entire 750 kilometers will be fully achieved before Mr. President leaves office at the end of his two tenors. And God, who started this, is going to get it completed.”
While handing over the signed agreement to the Minister of Works, the Permanent Secretary who signed the agreement on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Works said that the agreement was signed in accordance with the law.
