The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has assured Nigerians that all federal roads in the country will be motorable before Christmas.
Umahi made the promise during the Federal Ministry of Works Town Hall meeting/stakeholders’ engagement on the alignment of the Ondo State with the 63km segment of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Thursday, October 31, 2024.
The minister said the current administration met over 2,000 incomplete road projects running into trillions of naira.
He stated that his ministry was not afraid of making big decisions and had terminated 10 contracts of erring companies.
The minister said the federal government and the state government were committed to restoring Aiyetoro community currently battling sea incursion.
Umahi said the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway, which would pass through seven states, would open up new businesses.
He assured that the design for the section of the road in Ondo State would be concluded in November.
Umahi said: “We have terminated over 10 contracts of big companies and we have the mind to terminate more and you can’t dictate to us, we will tell you what we want.
“Our books are very much open. We will conclude the design (for Ondo State) within the month of November and we will inaugurate it.
“We have directed that all federal road controllers should give us details of roads within their domain, whether awarded or not so that by this Christmas, all federal high roads will be motorable.
“We are coming back after your (Ondo State Governor) election to start the Aiyetoro project, which we will construct after this one.
“Nigerians should be grateful that we have a listening president. He is committed to all sectors. This country still has a lot of potential.”
Speaking, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa commended President Bola Tinubu for always remembering the state on legacy projects.
Aiyedatiwa, who said the project was not a political one, noted that the project had already started in other sections.
The governor said: “He (Tinubu) is supporting us economically. I want to thank you for all the other projects in the country.
“This project will be of huge benefit to us; that is why we are going to cooperate with the federal government and the contractors.”
