The Minister of Works, David Umahi, has directed contractors handling the Trans-Sahara Highway to minimise the demolition of houses and properties along the road alignment, speaking during an inspection of the project.
Umahi said Section One covers approximately 123 kilometres from the Ebonyi axis to the Ebonyi-Benue boundary, while Section Two stretches about 173.4 kilometres through Benue, Enugu and Kogi states to the Benue River and Nasarawa boundary, with the completed highway, designed for 100 kilometres per hour, expected to significantly cut travel times and boost trade across the South East, North Central and South South.
He disclosed that Section One, currently a single carriageway, will eventually get a second carriageway, alongside an 8.9 kilometre bypass around Afikpo extending toward the Timber Shed area that will be dualised as part of the project.
Umahi reaffirmed the government’s resolve to complete the highway by the end of President Tinubu’s second term despite budget constraints, urging the public and media to verify facts before commenting on complex engineering or contractual matters, while appealing to residents to cooperate with enumeration and compensation teams.
Project Manager for Section Two, Rabih Munayer, confirmed that field operations are already adjusting to protect local properties, deploying additional drainage measures during the rainy season, while Lead Consultant Akelakpa Edra said engineering designs are being revised to replace select culverts with bridges and adjust alignments to bypass private properties where necessary.
By Asiwaju Adekunle Saheed
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