The much-talked-about Trans-Kalabari Highway is back to reckoning as the Rivers State government has just signed a N13.6bn contract for its construction.
This would be the third attempt by successive administrations in the state – from Peter Odili, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to Nyesom Wike.
The award came after the State Executive Council at its meeting on Wednesday approved the construction of the Trans-Kalabari and Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono road projects at the cost of N27.6 billion.
These two major road projects are expected to be completed within the next 14 months.
Briefing journalists at the Government House, Port Harcourt, after the meeting presided over by Gov Wike, the Commissioner of Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi, said the 13.599km Trans-Kalabari road will be executed by Lubrik Construction Company.
He explained that the road will connect several communities, amongst them Krakama, Omekwe-ama, Angula-ama, Mina-ama and some other communities in the Kalabari area of the state.
“The project will cost N13.6 billion and will have 14 months’ duration, financed by irrevocable standing payment order drawn against the State Internal Revenue, meaning that every month the contractor will be paid N1 billion and there will be no delays,” Tasie-Amadi said.
“This will guarantee the project is not stalled and is completed within the timeframe stipulated and agreed with the state government. This, I believe, will be useful to the people in the area and ease their transport,” he said.
The commissioner also disclosed that the Council approved the construction of the Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono Phase 2 road project which starts from Bori to Kono.
“It is a 17-kilometre road and the cost of the project is N14 billion. Construction time is 14 months. Payment will also be secured by an irrevocable payment standing order of N1 billion monthly drawn against the State Internal Revenue,” he said.
Tasie-Amadi said the Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono contract will be executed by the same the company that executed the Phase 1 of the road, Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
He stated the cost of the Trans-Kalabari road, which is 13km long and 9.3m wide, is almost the same as that of Bori-Kono that is 17.1km and 24m wide with streetlights because the terrains are different.
The Commissioner of Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, said the award of the Trans-Kalabari Road by Governor Wike’s administration was historic.
He explained that the previous government had awarded the Trans-Kalabari road to indigenes of the area who later abandoned the project for inexplicable reasons.
The state government once paid N500m to a contractor who did nothing and the government kept mute to this day.
Meanwhile, the state government says it has approved the dualisation of Ogbumnuabali Road in the state capital.
The project which is to commence immediately will consolidate the urban renewal programme of the present administration.
It warned that the full wrath of the law would be visited on anyone who dares to disrupt the commencement of this well-intentioned project.
