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Lagos-Calabar coastal road project to cost ₦4bn per kilometre

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Umahi says the current design of the road under construction is different from its original design which was eight lanes without train tracks.

The construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway has started from Victoria Island in Lagos. [Abiodun Bello/X]

The construction of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway has started from Victoria Island in Lagos.

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, had earlier criticised the project, alleging that the Federal Government planned to spend ₦8bn on each kilometre of the 700 km road project.

Atiku also raised questions on why President Bola Tinubu awarded the contract to his ally, Gilbert Chagoury’s Hitech without competitive bidding.

Reacting to this, Umahi in a statement on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, said Atiku lacked an understanding of figures, adding that he found the ex-VP’s comment degrading.

Also, while appearing as a guest on the Television Continental on Wednesday, April 10, 2024, the minister dismissed Atiku’s claim on the cost of the project.

He explained that the current design of the road under construction is different from its original design which according to him was eight lanes without train tracks.

“The coastal road we are constructing has a total of 10 lanes, you know, not only that it has a total of 10 lanes, it also have what we called shoulders. And the total shoulders can be put at about 23 metres. So when you put the total concrete pavement we are doing, it’s about 59 metres. When you put the total flexible pavement that he quoted it’s about 23 metres,” Umahi said.

And so when you run the figures, you now find out that under his calculation, it is giving you about over ₦19bn per kilometre. Now if you divide it by the 23 kilometres that they are doing, it is about 2.225 times a standard superhighway carriageway, which is ₦11.55bn. Whereas what we are doing, if you divide it, you get ₦5.167bn, So when you now divide using our 1.067, you get about ₦4bn/km.

“If you go back to what he has quoted, you will get over ₦8bn. So using concrete, which should be more expensive because of the kind of terrain we have, and using flexible pavement, which shouldn’t stand the coastal route, you will find out that our cost is ₦4bn instead of the ₦8bn claimed by the former vice president.”

The former Governor of Ebonyi State disclosed that Hitech Construction would fund the project under the Public-Private Partnership model.

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Police must pay transport fares, says AIG

” No police officer has the right to enter your vehicle without paying. We should assist one another willingly, not by force,” he said.

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The Assistant Inspector-General of Police(AIG) in charge of Zone 2 Command, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, speaking with transporters at Obalende garage, Lagos State, on Wednesday.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 2 Command, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, has declared that officers must pay fares before boarding commercial vehicles, warning against abuse of authority.

Jimoh spoke on Wednesday at Obalende garage during a sensitisation meeting with drivers and transport workers marking National Police Day 2026.

He stressed that relations between police and the public must be based on partnership, not coercion, urging both sides to support each other voluntarily.

“No police officer has the right to enter your vehicle without paying. We should assist one another willingly, not by force,” he said.

Jimoh called for stronger cooperation to maintain safety and order on roads, insisting there was no conflict between officers and transport unions.

“I don’t collect money from officers. We don’t arrest people arbitrarily. If you have issues with any officer, report directly to me,” he said.

(Vanguard)

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Tinubu scurries to Jos after Mutfwang’s security brief

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will leave for Jos tomorrow to commiserate with the state government and residents over recent deadly gun attacks that lefts dozens dead.

This was following Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s security briefing to the President on the recent violent attack in Angwan Rukuba, Plateau State.

During the meeting on Wednesday at the presidential villa in Abuja, Governor Caleb Mutfwang told Mr President that although security forces have restored calm after fresh disturbances involving looters on Wednesday morning, following the deadly Palm Sunday attack that left more than a dozen dead and many others injured.

He said that investigations are continuing to determine the identities or motives of the attackers who are yet to be apprehended .

Presidency source said that President Tinubu was initially scheduled for a planned trip to Ogun State to flag off operations at the Gateway International Cargo Airport on Thursday.

From Jos, the President will travel to Lagos to observe Good Friday.

On Saturday, April 4, he will visit Ogun State to commission projects including the cargo airport.

He will then return to Lagos during the Easter holiday to commission several state infrastructure projects, including the Ojota/Opebi Link Bridge.

Before heading back to Abuja, the president will visit Bayelsa State on April 10 to commission projects completed under Governor Duoye Diri.

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JUST IN: Tinubu Heads to Jos Tomorrow, Postpones Ogun Trip for 5-State Visits

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will tomorrow embark on a visit to Jos, Plateau State, as the first leg of a five-state tour across the country.

The Presidency announced that the President has postponed his scheduled trip to Ogun State to enable him to commence the series of official visits.

Details of the remaining four states in the tour are expected to be released by the Presidency in due course.

The development comes as President Tinubu continues nationwide engagements aimed at assessing development projects, interacting with stakeholders, and addressing key national issues in the respective states.

Further updates on the itinerary will be communicated as the visits progress.

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