Buhari flags off construction of N600bn 260km Calabar-Katsina-Ala highway
President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday performed the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the 260km Super Highway Dual Carriage Road from Calabar to Northern Nigeria, his first ever signature project since assuming office.
He gave the commitment of the federal government to ensure the speedy completion of the project, which is scheduled to be completed within the next 4-5years.
The 260km super highway, an evacuation corridor from a deep seaport in Bakassi, a project which will run concurrently, is expected to reduce travel time from about six hours to one hour thirty minutes, between Calabar and Katsina-Ala. Both the super highway and the sea port projects are estimated to cost about N700 billion.
Special features of the road, according to the Cross River State governor, Ben Ayade, in his address include; internet connectivity throughout the highway, a photographic solar system with a satellite antenna, speed cameras. “it is probably the first road to have anti-slip features on the highway, it is a digital road designed for the 21st century.
“This road is a 260km super highway, its an evacuation corridor from the seaport. It will have a track of 14metres and a key wall of 680metres that would allow for vessels from outside and every other vessels to berth. It will therefore provide an evacuation corridor for vessels, material and equipment lying in Calabar uniformly, effortlessly to Northern Nigeria” he said.
The project, a public, private partnership affair, will be bankrolled by partners like heritage, skye and zenith banks as well an Isreali-British firm, Broad Spectrum which has already provided a take off fund of 500million euros.
According to the governor the project was borne out of a need to reduce dependence on federal allocation, consequent upon the loss of the State’s oil wells and the ceding of Bakassi. “The state was reduced to wants in body and spirit. It became imperative that we need to construct a new means of production, we needed to open the horizon to get more young people employed” he said.
The governor urged his colleagues from Benue and Nasarawa states to key into the project and ensure that the roads spread over from Katsina-Ala. He commended the President for shelving politics and putting national interest first in deciding to perform such a function in a state not of the same party affiliation , the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Given the circumstances of our nation and politics, Cross River State would not have been worthy of your first port of call. You have shown that you are truly the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” Ayade said adding that the President from inception gave his support to ensure that the dream of the state becomes a reality.
Speaking at the event held at Obung Village, Netim Clam, Akampa local government area of Cross River State, Buhari said the Federal Government would give the needed support to the project, as this is expected to in turn, open the doors of opportunity for the people of Cross River State and Nigeria as a whole.
“When completed, this road, which starts from the seaport and terminates at the boundary between Cross River and Benue States will link the southern part of Nigeria to the North-Central, the North-East and ultimately, Central Africa.
“This will undoubtedly expand the boundaries of our economy by providing countries such as Niger Republic and Chad access to the seaport” he said.
He commended the state governor and his team for creating a new vista of business opportunities for Cross River and the rest of the country.
Elizabeth Archibong