The Federal Government has assured that the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the 56.10-kilometre Section II (Umuahia–Aba) of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway will be completed and ready for inauguration by June 2025.
Minister of Works, Chief David Umahi, made this known on Monday during an inspection of the project in Aba, Abia State, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria.
Umahi stated that the contractor, Arab Contractors (Nig.) Ltd., had been given an April deadline to complete earthworks and other essential tasks before finalizing the project. According to him, only about two kilometres of earthwork and four kilometres of asphalt work remain.
“The Minister of Works, Chief David Umahi, has said that the rehabilitation and reconstruction of the 56.10-km Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway Section II (Umuahia – Aba) will be completed and ready for inauguration in June,” the NAN report read in part.
It added, “He said that he had directed the contractor handling the project that he had up until the end of April to complete the earth work and every other thing and deliver the section of the carriageway.”
The minister expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done so far, commending the contractor for adhering to directives.
“They are very available to receiving and obeying instructions,” he noted.
More insight
Umahi further assured that President Bola Tinubu had made adequate funding provisions for the project in the 2024 and 2025 budgets to ensure its timely completion.
- He also acknowledged the efforts of Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, in ensuring that traders and vehicles were cleared from the road, a move he said had accelerated construction progress and would help maintain the durability of the road.
- The inspection of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway Section II forms part of Umahi’s broader assessment of ongoing road projects in the South-East and South-South regions, which he began in January.
Upon completion, the project is expected to ease transportation challenges along the route and enhance economic activities in the region.
What you should know
The Federal Government aims to complete multiple road projects by mid-2025, including key sections of major expressways.
- Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway: The 56.10-km Umuahia-Aba section is set for completion by June, aligning with broader rehabilitation efforts in the South-East and South-South.
- Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway: The first 47.7 km within Lagos, from Ahmadu Bello Way, is expected to be completed by May 2025.
- Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: An 8.5-km stretch of Phase 1, Section 2 is slated for completion in April, with commissioning planned for May. Once finished, the government intends to introduce tolling to fund maintenance.
These are among several road projects scheduled for completion by mid-2025 as part of the FG’s infrastructure push.
