FG To Complete One-Lane Of Enugu-Onitsha Expressway In June 2021
The federal government has assured motorists and commuters plying the Enugu-Onitsha expressway of smooth journey in seven months’ time when it would have completed one side of the damaged highway.
The federal director of highways, Southeast region, Mr. Bola Aganaba, who made the disclosure during an inspection tour of the project, also disclosed that a section of the expressway would be opened as from December 16 to ease traffic.
The expressway which had been undergoing rehabilitation since 2018 with a competition date in 2021, had been a nightmare to road users following its deplorable condition. Apart from high cost of travelling between Onitsha and Enugu, the travel time and discomfort experienced by commuters on the road had forced many to ply the old road which, Orient Daily gathered, had also gone bad due to heavy traffic in recent times.
However, Aganaba assured that the travelling nightmares on the expressway would be over before end of June 2021. “By the time table given to the contractors, one lane of the expressway from Onitsha to Enugu would be completed by the middle of next year. The Enugu end is also being rehabilitated; contractors are also working on the Enugu end,” he disclosed.
The director blamed coronavirus pandemic for the slowed pace of work on the road, expressing confidence of early completion of the project on schedule. He said,” I have come to check what the contractors are doing because, before now, we gave them instruction to ensure that one side of the expressway is completed before the Yuletide for easy movement for motorists.
“The contractors have agreed to open it just for the Christmas to reduce hardship usually encountered by people returning for the Christmas and New Year celebrations. We don’t want people to encounter gridlock and we have also arranged with the Federal Road Safety Corps to ensure that obstacles are promptly removed.
On his part, Anambra state controller of works, Adeyemo Ajani confirmed that “The section from Umunya-Amawbia is 18 kilometres and the contractors have completed 12 kilometers, remaining about 6 kilometers which is expected to be completed by the middle of December,” he said.
ORIENTDAILYNEWS
