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Nigeria: NDDC plans N1.8 Trillion Calabar-Lagos coastal road

Abuja — THE proposed 650-kilometre East-West coastal road from Calabar to Lagos would cost about N1.8 trillion. The design for the project is 70 per cent completed.

Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Chibuzor Ugwoha who stated this in Lagos yesterday, also called on the federal government to pay its N500 billion debt to the commission.

In an interactive session with newsmen, he said the design of the project would be completed in December paving the way for the commission to engage all stakeholders who would finance the project.

He said: "The implication is that when that road is built, you can travel from Port Harcourt to Lagos under three hours. The design of the road has reached about 70 per cent completion and we believe before the end of this year the design will be over.

"By our own estimate, this project is going to cost us N1.8 trillion. We are going to have the longest bridge in the country on that road and that is why we are already talking with the federal government that the money being owed us needs to be released so that this project will see the light of the day.

"So we will be looking for other partners, we will be calling on the federal government, the Niger Delta Ministry, international donors and the oil companies to assist in building this road."

Mr. Ugwoha who explained that the road would be divided into segments to facilitate speedy completion, added that the road would turn around the economic fortune of the Niger Delta region as never seen before.

"We believe that we are going to have a new Niger Delta that will be devoid of the whole lot of things that are going on today. I want to see a Niger Delta where Lagosians will move on Friday evening to go and enjoy fresh fish in Port Harcourt, in Yenagoa, where investors will come from all over the world," he said.

The NDDC boss who also used the occasion to review his one year in office said 2000 graduates have been employed by the commission while 24 certified welders also trained by the organization would train 700 youths from the region on welding.

He said the commission under his leadership had emphasized more on building the human capital and creating appropriate skills which are needed to transform the region from its present under development.

The commission he said had also awarded 45 mega projects valued at N130 billion adding that adequate attention is being placed on the supervision, monitoring and evaluation of ongoing projects to ensure that the people get value for their money.

He said the challenge of difficult terrain in the region which has only three dry months out of 12 months in a year makes construction of roads, houses and bridges difficult and expensive than what is obtained in other parts of the country.

Ugwoha said the commission was involved in the post-amnesty programme of the federal government through employment of those he described as intellectual militants in the region.
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He said topography of the region is not developmental friendly and was responsible for the high cost of building infrastructure as land had to be reclaimed before any meaningful project that would be enduring executed

On the leadership crisis that rocked the commission, he said those involved have embraced peace.

"All of us were interested in getting results but there were several ways people felt result could be gotten and as it is normal when you put people together there is a stormy period but is all over.

"We came out stronger and better ready to deliver the mandate of Niger Delta and God helping us and with you cooperating with us and other stakeholders we will get there and that way, the vision the vision of the people that set up the commission will be met," he said.

I am sure half of this is already in GEJ's pocket.

What a waste. A rail project would be more meaningful.

build a rail and road. Once those heavy Lorries and tankers start using the road, it would die in no time. So let build a rail too to carry the Bulk Cargo,