Tinubu to inaugurate Sokoto-Badagry coastal highway construction in August

President Bola Tinubu is scheduled to inaugurate the construction work of the 1000-km Sokoto-Badagry Coastal Highway in August.

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi disclosed this during a stakeholders engagement on the project in Birnin Kebbi.

Umahi said that he was directed by the president to come to Kebbi with some ministers and members of the National Assembly to unveil the scope of the project.

“The project is the old West African Trade Route, and the processes for the commencement of the construction of the 1000km six-lane super highway are in progress.

“Kebbi State has the lion’s share of the project, the first phase of construction will start here covering three lanes on each side of the road.

“120 kilometres section of the road lay in Sokoto State while 258 kilometres passes through Kebbi State, which is the largest beneficiary in the country.

“The super highway extends to Illela border town with Niger Republic in Sokoto State and down to Badagry in Lagos state,” he said.

The Minister added: “The Sokoto – Badagry corridor boasts of 53 dams that would be developed for Agriculture and electricity and serve as trade routes with other African countries.

“The super highway like the Lagos – Calabar Coastal Highway, is an investment venture for Nigeria’s economic prosperity.

“There are lots of benefits, security, tourism, smooth transportation and industrial growth”.

Umahi also spoke on the construction of the 55km Gadar Zaima – Zuru road in Kebbi of which only six kilometres had been repaired.

According to him, though the road is an NNPC project, the progress of work has not been good.

“I have invited the contractor to Abuja for an explanation, it has been the behaviour of International contractors to abandon work after collecting payment, and we will no longer tolerate this unbecoming attitude.

“Any contractor who is given a project but cannot do it, the federal government will revoke the contract and re-award it to another company, we want to encourage our local contractors,” he said.

The minister explained that the government was also looking into the 87 km Koko – Mahuta – Dabai road of which only six kilometres were reconstructed.

“I have the power to revoke the contract, Gov. Nasir Idris recommended revoking the work and allowing the Kebbi government to carry out the work and seek reimbursement.

“The governor can lobby the President to seek for refund, you are dear to him,” Umahi said.

The minister said the federal government was also not happy about the pace of work on the Malando–Warrah road, explaining that appropriate action would be applied as a remedy.

(NAN)