ECOWAS Commission for Abidjan- Lagos Corridor Highway says it will harmonize the detailed design for the project as engineering designs consultants prepared for final technical and financial strategies for the construction of the six lanes highways.
The commission during the Validation workshop for the detailed design study reports in Lagos state Southwest Nigeria said that the project which comprises five member states would begin from Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire through Accra, Ghana,Lome in Togo, Cotonou in Benin Republic to end in Mile 2 in Lagos Nigeria.
Speaking on the importance of the project, Acting Director, Directorate of transport Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Digitalization ECOWAS Commission, Mr Chris Appiah said the five corridor countries have entrusted the ECOWAS Commission as the implementing agency in the interim to design, procure, mobilize financing and construct the highway in the long term.
He added that, a super-national Corridor Authority, known as the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor M
anagement Authority (ALCOMA) which will be operationalized to take over the project on behalf of the corridor countries.
Mr. Appiah who stressed that the objective of the Abidjan-Lagos highway corridor was to fast track and expedite the process of regional integration and make the transportation accessible and affordable, said the highway corridor is a main driver to achieving the vision of founding fathers who sought for ECOWAS and have economic union, well integrated and factional as one people.
He disclosed that the workshop is to consider the draft detailed designs of the highway while corrections, amendment and final approval to the contractors/consultants to finalize the decides.
The acting director further stated that, we are at the end of the technical studies, from next year 2025,we are going to start the series financial roundtable and resource mobilization, we are targeting the private sectors to be the major financier of this highway project.
‘By 2025, we’re doing roadshows, investor roundtabl
es and all other forum that would help to attract financiers in private and public sectors, once we do that, the needed contracting will be done. Hopefully, towards the end of 2026we should see to first section of the highway project being constructed. Whilst we acknowledged that the project involves five member states, the heads of states gave its special stature called, Super National Stature’, the highway would be designed, constructed and operated under a single regime of a standard operations.
He further stated that, it would be under the management of single authority called ‘ the Abidjan-Lagos corridor authority representing the five countries to tender contract, concession and construct the highway. A lot of financiers from both private, public and international investors have expressed interest while awaiting the completion of the studies, in the next 5 to 6 years, the construction of the highway project will be completed’.
ECONOMIC BENEFITS
Mr Appiah maintained that the highway project has the po
tential of increasing the regional trade to 40% forty percent among other member states as well as doing 12 to 15% intra west African states.
He said, other benefits enumerated were; tourism as a means of generating revenue, education as regional citizens move to other countries for studies, health for medical opportunities and agriculture where agricultural produce would easily be transported as the highway corridor is exclusive for trade from one part of the region to the other.
‘Though, it is coastal corridor but has the potential to open up our colleagues in Sahel and for Nigeria, the Northern part of Nigeria is also being looked at, countries like Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali and northern part of Senegal, this coastal highway will connect all major ports through which trade from the international communities happens’.
He affirmed that the cost of transportation will drastically be reduced to 40% forty perfect as all impediments and vehicle operations would be removed.
IMPEDIMENT
The ECOWAS Commission a
cting director highlighted that design standards have been one of the challenges, no country’s design is considered but all the countries’ designs were harmonized.
The design is not for one country but for Abidjan-Lagos highway project.
Secondly, we are putting in place intra omnibus which will make it easier for one to buy tow stickers from Lagos and makes you travel without changing your money to cedis or sefas.
We have also address the issue of government changing, we have to applaud the successive government as the project has not suffered any political interest, we continuously having heads of states, putting pressure on us to fast track this project.
By next week, all the ministers for works from all the member states to see the progress of the project.
He assured the citizens of all member states of completing the project between 26 months as the project suffered 3 years’ delay due to ravaged Covid-19 while the technical studies had reached the final stage as we are moving to the execution stage.
A
Country Director and Director of Policy Planning and budgeting, Ministry of Roads and Highways, Ghana, Rita Ohene – Sarfoh applauded all the council of heads of states for seen the project as single unique one which made them to establish Abidjan-Lagos Corridor management authority(ALCOMA) that would look for the section that’s viable for Private public partnership, PPP.
She said it is the responsibility of the management authority to raise all the necessary funds for the whole corridor. it is not going to be the country specific needs or requirements.
‘Whatever funding any country is bringing it is going to be an equity and the corridor is going to be towed so that whatever investment is made on the entire corridor could be recouped. It does not matter what funding each country is bringing but equity of is what will make the project seamless as each country will benefit from the project no matter what your country contribute’ she concluded.
The four days technical validation Workshop have in attendance e
ngineers from the project implementation Unit of the , Development partners and stakeholders Abidjan-Lagos corridor Highway Development project.
The Directorates of Transport and Environment of ECOWAS Commission, the ECOWAS project preparation and Development Unit, and Representatives of Ministries in charge of Infrastructure project focal point.
Directors and corridor member Country Engineers, who are members of the PIU of corridor member countries, Development partners, stakeholders, Engineer Consultants and technical assistant amongst others.
Source: Voice of Nigeria