The Minister of Works, David Umahi, says the trans-Saharan superhighway will significantly improve security, agriculture and commerce across its corridor when completed.
Mr Umahi stated this on Saturday in Abakaliki after inspecting ongoing works on section two of the highway in Ado Local Government Area, Benue.
He said the section, measuring approximately 173.4 kilometres, would connect section one through Benue, Enugu and adjoining states.
According to him, section one runs for about 123 kilometres from Ebonyi to the Ebonyi-Benue boundary.
The minister said the combined length of sections one and two would therefore be nearly 300 kilometres.
“When communities are brought closer through road construction and states become more accessible, you can see the economic impact.
“If we complete this project, you will see significant improvements in security, agriculture, and commerce,” he said.
Mr Umahi said the highway would facilitate the movement of agricultural produce from major farming areas in Benue, Ebonyi and Enugu to markets.
He said the federal government was also constructing bypasses, including the 8.9-kilometre Afikpo bypass in Ebonyi, which was being dualised.
The minister said the second carriageway of Section One was being designed to align with other legacy projects of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
On funding, Mr Umahi acknowledged financial challenges but assured Nigerians that projects would continue based on available resources.
“There are challenges; we cannot have all the money to do all the projects at once.
“So, we will continue to do the much we can based on our available resources,” the minister said.
Mr Umahi projected that the projects would be completed by 2031, subject to Mr Tinubu’s re-election and the administration’s continuity.
He appealed to host communities to cooperate with contractors by providing access to borrow pits and facilitating valuation of affected crops and properties.
“Nobody will touch your building unnecessarily; I want you to cooperate with us and show us the borrow pits. We will pay compensation where necessary,” Mr Umahi added.
The minister commended the contractor for its commitment, noting that construction work was continuing despite the rainy season.
He urged Nigerians to appreciate the federal government’s intervention in communities that had previously lacked federal roads.
Mr Umahi also appealed for support for Mr Tinubu and other APC candidates, saying continuity was necessary to ensure the highway’s completion.
(NAN)
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