Enugu-Onitsha expressway opens to traffic in December - FG

Traffic will be opened on the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway on Monday, the Federal Government has said.

The 38-kilometer expressway which has been under construction since 2018 will be completed in 2021.

But on Monday, the Federal Ministry of Works said the expressway would be opened from December 16 to ease traffic, The Punch said.

The Federal Director Highways in charge of South-East, Bola Aganaba, disclosed this during an inspection tour of the project.

He regretted that the coronavirus pandemic slowed down the pace of work on the road.

While expressing optimism that the project would be completed on schedule in 2021 despite the odds, Aganaba said one lane of the road would be ready by December.

He said, “I have come to check what the contractors are doing because before now, we gave them instruction to ensure that one side of the expressway was completed before the yuletide for easy movement for motorists.

“The contractors have agreed to open it just for the Christmas to reduce hardship usually encountered by people returning for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

“We don’t want people to encounter gridlock and we have also arranged with the Federal Road Safety Corps to ensure that obstacles are promptly removed.

“By the time table given to the contractors, one lane of the expressway from Onitsha to Enugu would be completed by the middle of next year.

The Enugu end is also being rehabilitated; contractors are also working on the Enugu end.

The Anambra State Controller of Works, Adeyemo Ajani, said, “The section from Umunya-Amawbia is 18 kilometres and the contractors have completed 12 kilometers, remaining about six kilometres which is expected to be completed by the middle of December.”