The Nigerian Government says preparations are underway to remove a 60-metre-high mountain along a section of the Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe Federal Highway as part of efforts to improve safety and accelerate the completion of the strategic road corridor linking Ebonyi, Abia and Imo states.
Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this during an inspection of the 65-kilometre Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe Federal Highway project, which is being executed under the Federal Government’s tax-credit scheme with Dangote Industries Limited as sponsor and Hi-Tech Construction as contractor.
According to the minister, the mountainous section has remained a major safety concern for motorists and has been associated with several fatal accidents over the years.
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“This mountain, by the command of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, must collapse for the people of the South-East,” Umahi stressed.
He described the terrain as one of the most technically challenging segments of the project, noting that its removal would significantly enhance road safety and reduce accidents along the route.
“This place is very challenging. We have a mountain that is over 60 metres high. If God helps us in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to achieve this, this will be a major lifesaver for the people of the South-East because this place has consumed many lives,” the Minister stated.
Umahi commended the contractor for the quality of work on the project, particularly the concrete pavement being deployed, which he said compares favourably with standards on other major federal highway projects.
He said ongoing infrastructure interventions in the South-East should be assessed based on their economic and developmental impact, rather than political considerations.
Earlier, the Project Controller, Maxwell Oko, said the Highway F112 project comprises 9.9 kilometres of dual carriageway and 55.55 kilometres of single carriageway.
Oko explained that the road is being delivered through the tax-credit scheme, with Dangote Industries Limited providing funding support and Hi-Tech Construction serving as the contractor.
He noted that the highway is a critical transport corridor connecting communities and adjoining federal highways across Ebonyi, Abia and Imo states, with significant benefits for transportation, trade and regional integration.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Hi-Tech Construction, Christopher Aucamp, said preparatory work had commenced at the mountainous section ahead of intensive excavation and earthworks.
“This is the mountain where we have to do the realisation of the 9 kilometres. As you can see, we are busy on it,” he said.
Aucamp disclosed that three excavators would be deployed to accelerate excavation and reshaping of the terrain to improve alignment and safety along the road corridor.
