Minister of Works, David Umahi, has given the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) an October deadline to complete the collapsed New Artisan Bridge on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway. This directive was disclosed in a statement by Uche Anichukwu, the Senior Special Assistant on External Relations to Governor Peter Mbah, and was made available to the press in Enugu on Monday.
Umahi, along with Governor Mbah, inspected several key Federal Government projects in the state, during which Umahi emphasized the urgency and importance of the bridge project. He expressed satisfaction with the quality and speed of CCECC’s work and stated that this aligns with the governor’s expectations.
“I have been here more than 10 times since the collapse of the bridge. The governor went to see Mr. President, who directed immediate work on the bridge. This work is being done by CCECC. I must commend them very highly for their quality of work and speed. This is the speed that the Enugu governor desires and he is also very happy with this. I am giving them October 2024 to deliver this project,” Umahi said.
Furthermore, Umahi indicated that due to a lack of funds, the Federal Government would permit the Enugu State Government to complete the remaining part of the 61km road, starting from Naira Triangle, under the Federal Government’s Highway Development Management Initiative. This initiative will be executed through a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.
Umahi praised Governor Mbah for his strategic efforts and partnership with President Bola Tinubu’s administration to enhance infrastructure development in the state. Anichukwu also noted that Umahi reaffirmed his commitment to completing the remaining sections of the Enugu-Onitsha and Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, as well as the dualization of the Enugu-Abakaliki Road.
Governor Mbah commended the Federal Government’s dedication to addressing road infrastructure challenges in the South-East, highlighting the positive impact of such initiatives on the region.