By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
ECOWAS member States met in Lomé, to conclude plans on construction of the Abidjan- Lagos corridor Highway road connects Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Abidjan, and Cote d’ ivoire.
The 6- lane dual carriage Highway road links Nigeria, and other countries in the ECOWAS Sub – region.
The ECOWAS Commission in charge of the Abidjan-Lagos road project organized the 17th Project Ministerial Streeing Committee in Lome, Togo on 9th December 2022 to take stock of implementation progress and expedition and the completion of the road project and inauguration of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Management Authority (ALCoMA) , a Supranational Entity created by the Project Treaty to construct, manage and operate the Corridor on behalf of the five countries.
The ECOWAS Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalization of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Sediko Douka, commended Mr. Pathe Gueye and other Steering Committee members for their consistent dedication to advancing the technical and project preparatory studies for the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project.
Douka noted that the Road project had suffered delays due to lockdowns and boarder closures during the heights of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
He disclosed that the ECOWAS Management have taken new measures to ensure a reduction of the processing and approval time for procurement and contract.
According to Duoka, the Committee has adopted the dual corridor road project as a key object under inclusive and sustainable development.
While demonstrating the readiness of the Commission to accelerate the project, Commissioner Douka disclosed that together with the African Development Bank and the Consultants, the study schedule has been compressed considering the 31st of December 2024 deadline for the Financing Agreement.
The Project Task Manager of the road Project for the African Development Bank, Mrs. Lydie Ehouman, thanked the ECOWAS Commission for expediting actions to ensure the early completion of the Studies. She assured the Steering Committee of the Banks resolve to help ECOWAS adhere to the new emergency timelines agreed.
Chairman of the Ministerial Steering Committee ,Nigeria’s Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, acknowledged the unity and togetherness among the Heads of State to jointly implement the Corridor Highway project as a single unit over the earlier individualistic approach of each country concentrating on their sections.
Fashola urged the Steering Committee to keep the spirit of togetherness and trust yamong each other, which is key to the success of this novel cross-border highway project.
