Ahead of the first anniversary of his administration on May 29, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday departed Abuja for Lagos to begin the commissioning of projects completed under his administration.
The President will today inaugurate the concrete-paved road to the nation’s major ports in Apapa and Tin Can Island. The reconstructed road, which began under the Muhammadu Buhari administration, was financed by the Dangote Group, using its tax credits.
On the same day, President Tinubu will formally inaugurate, by virtual means, the refurbished Third Mainland Bridge, which has drawn public acclaim for its excellent finishing and aesthetic furnishing.
During his visit to Lagos, President Tinubu will also flag off the construction of major highway projects, both physically and virtually.These include the virtual flag-off of the design and procurement for the 1000km Sokoto-Badagry Highway. This project will connect Sokoto to Badagry in Lagos State, passing through Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo and Ogun States. It is a spur from the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway; virtual flag-off of the design and procurement of the 461 kilometre Africa Trans-Sahara Route. This route will start from a point on the Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja Road and traverse Benue, Kogi, and Nasarawa states, terminating at Apo in Abuja. This road is also a spur connecting the North to the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway; virtual flag-off of nationwide reconstruction and rehabilitation. This includes emergency interventions on 330 roads and bridges and other new road rehabilitation projects across the six geo-political zones of the nation.
The highpoint of the President’s engagements today will be the inauguration of the iconic Lagos-Calabar Superhighway, estimated to cost about N15 trillion. Work has begun on the legacy project that will connect nine coastal states, with Section Two already awarded to Hitech Construction Limited.
President Tinubu will return to Abuja on Tuesday to begin another round of commissioning. He will first inaugurate the Southern Parkway, which the Nyesom Wike-led FCT Administration named after him.
On Wednesday, the President will attend the National Assembly Dialogue Series, after which he will unveil the National Assembly Library Complex, named after him.
President Tinubu will leave the National Assembly to re-launch the commercialisation of Abuja Light Rail, also known as Abuja Metro. He will symbolically join a train ride to the city centre.
The Abuja Metro was completed in 2018 by the Buhari administration. It was put into commercial use up till 2020. But with the onset of COVID-19, the train service was abandoned. Vandals descended on the facility, putting it out of use.
FCT Minister Wike, after spending $15 million and building access roads to the various stations, has refurbished it for commercial service. After the train ride, President Tinubu will also inaugurate the Wuye Flyover-Link Bridge and the Defence Intelligence Agency Headquarters. On Friday, May 31, President Tinubu will commission the NASENI-Portland Compressed Natural Gas(CNG) Reverse Engineering Centre at Utako.
