The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has disclosed that Section One of the Trans-Sahara Highway project, linking Calabar through Ebonyi State and onward to the North, has reached about 45 per cent completion.
Umahi disclosed during an inspection of the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Nasarawa-Abuja highway project, where he commended the contractor, Infiouest International, for the pace and quality of work on the corridor.
According to him, the project is one of the Federal Government’s strategic infrastructure interventions aimed at opening up the Southeast to greater economic opportunities, improving security and strengthening inter-state connectivity.
“Section One is about 40; I will give them 45 per cent in completion. The quality of the concrete pavement is top-notch,” Umahi said.
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He explained that the first section covers about 125.5 kilometres, beginning from the Ndibe Beach axis and passing through communities including Akpoha, Abomege, Amudo and Onueke, as well as parts of Ezza North and Ebonyi Local Government Areas.
The minister said some portions of the alignment were being dualised to accommodate growing economic activities and urban development, citing the 8.9-kilometre stretch around Afikpo and a two-kilometre section at Abomege among areas receiving special attention.
Umahi further disclosed that Section Two, which extends into Benue and other states, covers about 173.6 kilometres and has a contract value of approximately ₦683 billion, adding that the Federal government had already paid 30 per cent of the contract sum.
“There is nothing stopping the contractor from working,” he said, stressing that the project would ultimately provide a major transportation corridor linking the Southeast with other parts of the country.
The minister said the broader route would facilitate faster movement of agricultural produce, goods and people while improving security through the installation of CCTV surveillance and solar-powered lighting infrastructure.
He also disclosed that Infiouest had created employment opportunities for more than 2,000 people within the first section of the project.
“Within the first section of the road, Infiouest has employed over 2,000 people,” Umahi said, describing the project as a major source of direct and indirect employment and economic activity.
