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When the Lagos-Calabar coastal route is finished, the Federal Government has intimated that it will probably charge an average of N3,000 per toll gate for vehicles using it.
On Thursday, April 11, 2024, during an appearance on Channels Television's The Morning Brief, Minister of Works Dave Umahi verified the number.
The minister denied rumors that the project's projected cost was excessive and stated that the money spent will be repaid in 15 years.
Restaurants, gas stations, and other establishments will be present at toll booths.
"Let me leave out the infrastructure along the corridor," Umahi remarked. Umahi stated on "Let me just focus on the tolls. I put 50,000 vehicles as an average passage on these toll points per day."
Umahi stated during the morning program.
"An average cost of N3,000 was entered. N3,000 since the large vehicles might cost about N5,000 and the cars about N1,500," he remarked. Thus, we used an average.
"You make back the money in 15 years," he remarked, rejecting criticism that the road project's planned cost was excessive.
The minister announced that security will be present at certain locations, including as gas stations, and at the toll gates.
"We also have toll stations where we have a kind of relief activities at every point of tolling," he stated. These stations include parking lots, eateries, and filling stations.
"People will therefore now exude confidence. These areas are where we want to include all CCTV through.”
See FG's announcement about its intention to toll additional roads under the HDMI scheme."An average cost of N3,000 was entered. N3,000 since the large vehicles might cost about N5,000 and the cars about N1,500," he remarked. Thus, we used an average.
"You make back the money in 15 years," he remarked, rejecting criticism that the road project's planned cost was excessive.
The minister announced that security will be present at certain locations, including as gas stations, and at the toll gates.
"We also have toll stations where we have a kind of relief activities at every point of tolling," he stated. These stations include parking lots, eateries, and filling stations.
"People will therefore now exude confidence. These areas are where we want to include all CCTV through.”
Project completion in eight years
The minister stated that it will take eight years and cost N4 billion per kilometer to build the coastal route between Lagos and Calabar.
Umahi responded, "When asked how long the project will take,
"We are estimating that Mr. President [Bola Tinubu] will serve eight years in office."
The minister stated that the government's caution made it possible for the coastal route to cost N4 billion per kilometer.
"You know, there are other projects that are going for about N4 billion per kilometer that are not awarded by me," he remarked.To the glory of God, I will thus take great delight in the fact that this endeavor is the most responsible project that I'm going to begin. We are arguing, reviewing, and attempting to review the cost of other projects that I made.
"Well, I can't sign my name on that because it might go up or down."
Things to be aware about
On September 23, 2023, Umahi revealed the plans for building the Lagos–Calabar highway.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has already given Hitech building Company Ltd. permission to begin building on the first segment of the 700-kilometer Lagos–Calabar coastal route. The first phase of the freeway project begins in Lagos and spans 47.47 kilometers.
In order to connect Lagos to Cross River, the 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project would pass through the coastal states of Ogun, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, and Akwa Ibom before arriving at Cross River.
In the general election of 2023, Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party's (PDP) nominee for president, challenged the Tinubu administration's choice to award the contract to Gilbert Chagoury's Hitech without conducting a competitive bidding process. He also dared the president to reveal the entire cost of the Lagos-Calabar highway project.
Nonetheless, Atiku was instructed to correct his facts regarding the project in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the President's Special Advisor on Information and Strategy.
In response to Atiku, Umahi had also stated that the public would have access to the full cost and schedule of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project on Friday.
He clarified that although supply chain interruptions and rising commodity prices have driven up the cost of materials in the construction industry, the ministry is unrivaled in its dedication to prudent, economical, timely, and high-quality road project delivery.
Nonetheless, Atiku was instructed to correct his facts regarding the project in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, the President's Special Advisor on Information and Strategy.
In response to Atiku, Umahi had also stated that the public would have access to the full cost and schedule of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar coastal highway project on Friday.
He clarified that although supply chain interruptions and rising commodity prices have driven up the cost of materials in the construction industry, the ministry is unrivaled in its dedication to prudent, economical, timely, and high-quality road project delivery.
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