Lagos–Calabar coastal highway to feature relief stations, CCTV, others – Minister

Minister of Works, David Umahi, during an inspection of the Calabar–Itu Road and Sections 3A and 3B of the 71.4-kilometre stretch of the 750-kilometre highway currently under construction in Cross River State

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The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has announced that the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway will include relief stations, solar-powered lighting, and CCTV cameras to boost safety and ensure rapid emergency responses within ten minutes.

Umahi disclosed on Sunday during an inspection of the Calabar–Itu Road and Sections 3A and 3B of the 71.4-kilometre stretch of the 750-kilometre highway currently under construction in Cross River State.

The project is being executed by HITECH Africa Construction Company Limited, using continuously reinforced concrete pavement.

Speaking in Awi, Akamkpa Local Government Area, Umahi commended HITECH for adhering to high construction standards, deploying modern equipment, and engaging skilled personnel. He described the firm as a key development partner in Nigeria’s infrastructural progress.

“The highway will include essential facilities such as relief stations, solar lighting, and CCTV cameras at strategic points to improve travel safety and support security agencies,” he said, while also praising President Bola Tinubu for championing the project, a vision he began nurturing more than 27 years ago as Governor of Lagos State.

Managing Director of HITECH, Dany Aboud, expressed gratitude to the President and assured that additional manpower and resources would be deployed to ensure the timely delivery of both segments within the 36-month contract period.

Senator Mpigi Barinada, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Works, lauded the quality of construction and emphasised the extensive earthworks required due to the swampy terrain, which justified the project’s scale and cost.

Alex Egbona, representing Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency, said residents of Cross River State were impressed with the progress, given past disappointments from other federal agencies, and pledged maximum support to ensure completion.

Meanwhile, Federal Controller of Works in Cross River, Yinka Onafuye, disclosed that the Federal Government has paid N1 billion in compensation to affected persons, benefiting between 700 and 1,000 people from 12 communities in Akamkpa and Odukpani Local Government Areas.

“Payment of compensation is ongoing. Farmlands and buildings affected by the project have been valued, and beneficiaries have started receiving payments through the banks,” Onafuye said, adding that the ministry is assisting individuals without bank accounts to open new ones to facilitate the process.

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