By CHARLES IWUOHA

Works Minister, Engr. David Umahi, has directed contractors handling the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Kogi-Nasarawa-Abuja Superhighway to open multiple work fronts and intensify construction activities, particularly on Section Two of the strategic corridor.

Umahi gave the directive at the weekend during an inspection of the ongoing project, stressing that contractors must deploy sufficient manpower and resources to accelerate delivery while ensuring that existing buildings along the alignment are protected.

The Minister said the instruction was necessary to overcome engineering challenges encountered along the route, including rivers and swampy sections, and ensure that construction progresses simultaneously at different locations.

According to him, contractors must find engineering solutions to difficult terrain without compromising the quality or durability of the highway.

“I do not believe in engineering that anything is impossible. We've sat this morning and we've agreed how to cross the bridge,” Umahi said, directing the contractor handling Section Two to open at least three work fronts.

He also ordered that no building should be demolished merely because it falls within the proposed alignment without further technical assessment.

“My directive is that no building should be touched. Even if it's within the alignment, I have to come and realign it,” he said.

Umahi explained that the Ministry would continue to make necessary technical adjustments to the alignment where required, particularly around sharp curves and built-up areas, while ensuring that such modifications did not impose additional costs on the Federal Government under the financing arrangement.

The Minister further directed the contractor to intensify efforts around the river crossing and other difficult portions of Section Two, noting that temporary motorability would be achieved where necessary to enable movement while permanent works continue.

He said the contractor had made significant progress since his previous inspection, commending the project team for the work executed so far.

Earlier, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagements, South-East, Barrister Chioma Nweze, commended the Federal Ministry of Works for its intervention in connecting communities across the Nigeria's regions.

Nweze said the project was generating direct and indirect employment opportunities while opening up communities for increased economic activities.

She described the highway as consistent with the Federal Government's broader infrastructure and economic-development objectives, noting that improved connectivity would facilitate movement of people, agricultural produce and other goods.

At Section One, the Controller of the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Nasarawa-Abuja Federal Superhighway, Engr Maxwell Oko, disclosed that the section, being handled by Infiouest, covers about 123 kilometres and has attained 39.33 per cent progress.

He said construction was progressing with rigid pavement technology from the Ndibe Beach axis through Timber Junction, Akpoha, Amudo and Onueke, among other communities.

Oko said Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP) had progressed to about Kilometre 43 on both sides of the alignment, with further construction activities planned towards Onueke Junction and subsequent sections.

The Project Manager of Section One, Mohammed Moustapha, said the contractor was intensifying work on the rigid pavement and would continue pushing construction towards the next work segments.

Moustapha said the contractor planned to extend the rigid pavement from the current work front around Kilometre 43 towards Onueke Junction and subsequently advance through the succeeding kilometres.

On Section Two, the project manager, Nabeel Munaya, said the contractor was encountering some difficult terrain but was working with the Ministry to overcome the engineering constraints.

The Federal Ministry of Works has described the Calabar-Ebonyi-Abuja corridor as a strategic component of the Federal Government's wider road infrastructure programme, with the route expected to improve connectivity between the South-East, South-South and North-Central regions.

The Ministry has also stated that Section Two covers the Ebonyi State border through Benue, Enugu, Kogi and Nasarawa, forming part of the Trans-Sahara Super Highway network.