The Federal Executive Council has approved a contract of N1.067tn for the construction of the first phase of the coastal highway.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, stated this after the Council met at the State House, Abuja, for the eighth time since President Bola Tinubu assumed office.
The 47.47km dual carriageway has five lanes on each side and a train track in the middle. Umahi explained that it forms part of the 700km road spanning nine states, with two spurs leading up north, noting that the facility will be constructed with concrete.
He explains that although the council had earlier approved the project to be procured under EPC+F (Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing), the contractor, High Tech Construction African limited, suffered setbacks while sourcing for finances.
The former Ebonyi state governor said, “Today, we have procured the first section, which is 47.47km, under 10 lanes and FEC graciously approved the contract for N1.067tn with no objection. FEC also approved that the second section be procured, to be funded by the federal government, which is about 57km and that runs from Lekki Deep Seaport to the boundary between Ogun and that section two of phase one.
He also announced the approval of variations on the contract sum of projects which began in 2006 but can no longer be continued due to the disparity in prices of building materials.
The maintenance of Pankshin-Gindiri Road in Pankshin in Plateau state which was awarded in 2017 got a boost as its contract sum was reviewed from N10bn to N20bn.
Umahi also mentioned the Mayo-Belewa-Jega-Kanya-Tungur road in Adamawa state which was awarded in 2018 and has been argumented from N21bn to N43bn in line with the realities of the construction market prices.
