The Federal Government has announced plans to construct two super expressways from Abuja to Lagos and Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, to Lagos through a Public Private Partnership scheme.
The Minister of Work, David Umahi, disclosed this to State House correspondents after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Sunday, September 17, 2023.
Umahi said the super expressways would be provided with state of art facilities for the comfort of travellers.
Super highways are designed for travel at high speeds, having more than one lane for each direction of traffic, and a safety strip dividing the two directions.
The minister said the government has got commitments from stakeholders to make the project a success within a reasonable period, adding that Tinubu was briefed on the need to seek better appropriation for the funding of road projects to avoid unnecessary variations in cost and specifications.
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He stated that the National Assembly would be carried along to see the necessity of providing enough funds for road projects that are beneficial to the people.
Umahi noted that due to inappropriate funding, he has asked President Tinubu to direct the termination of road projects that have taken more than 10 years without completion.
The minister assured Nigerians that no project initiated by the past administration would be abandoned by the government.
He disclosed that Tinubu’s administration inherited 2,604 projects worth N14 trillion covering 18,000 kilometres of roads, adding that a commitment was made for the payment of N4 trillion out of the amount.
The minister added that the government was also committed to the use of reinforced concrete for road pavements across the country, saying concrete is capable of withstanding heavy loads, such as heavy vehicles, with less deformation and serves for years without major repairs.
On the structural defects on the Third Mainland Bridge, Umahi said work has started, adding that articulated vehicles had been stopped from plying it for now.
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