Govt Moves To Remove 60m Mountain On South-East Highway

The Federal Government has commenced preparations to remove a 60-metre-high mountain along the Afikpo-Uturu-Okigwe Federal Highway as part of efforts to improve road safety and accelerate the completion of the strategic corridor linking Ebonyi, Abia and Imo states.

Minister of Works, David Umahi, disclosed this during an inspection of the 65-kilometre highway project, which is being executed under the Federal Government’s tax-credit scheme with Dangote Industries Limited as the funding partner and Hi-Tech Construction as the contractor.

Umahi said the mountainous section had remained a major safety concern for motorists, with the difficult terrain linked to several fatal accidents over the years.

According to him, the removal of the mountain, which rises more than 60 metres, would significantly improve visibility, road alignment and safety for motorists travelling along the corridor.

“This mountain, by the command of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, must collapse for the people of the South-East,” the minister said.

He described the section as one of the most technically challenging parts of the project, stressing that its successful excavation would be a major milestone in reducing accidents and improving connectivity across the region.

Umahi also commended Hi-Tech Construction for the quality of work on the project, particularly the concrete pavement being used, which he said compares favourably with standards adopted on other major federal highway projects.

The minister urged stakeholders to assess infrastructure projects in the South-East based on their economic and developmental benefits rather than political considerations.

Earlier, the Project Controller, Maxwell Oko, said the F112 highway project consists of 9.9 kilometres of dual carriageway and 55.55 kilometres of single carriageway.

Oko explained that the project was being delivered through the tax-credit scheme, with Dangote Industries Limited providing the funding support and Hi-Tech Construction handling the construction work.

He said the highway serves as a major transport corridor connecting communities and other federal highways across Ebonyi, Abia and Imo states, with expected benefits for trade, transportation and regional integration.

The Managing Director of Hi-Tech Construction, Christopher Aucamp, said preparatory activities had commenced at the mountainous section ahead of intensive excavation and earthworks.

Aucamp added that three excavators would be deployed to speed up the removal and reshaping of the terrain, thereby improving the road’s alignment and safety.

The Federal Government said the intervention is expected to contribute significantly to safer transportation and improved economic connectivity in the South-East.