Lagos, Nigeria – Road Infrastructure Ministers from the five Corridor Member Countries of the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Development Project have reaffirmed their unwavering support for the project and urged for expedited processes to initiate construction.
At their 21st Project Ministerial Steering Committee Meeting organized by the ECOWAS Commission, the Ministers from Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria expressed their enthusiasm for the project.
The Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, and Digitalization of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Sediko Douka, welcomed the newly appointed Ministers of Road Infrastructure from Ghana and Togo and highlighted the project’s pivotal role in eliminating trade barriers and promoting regional integration. He updated the meeting on the ECOWAS Commission’s efforts to advance technical studies and expressed gratitude to Côte d’Ivoire for hosting the Abidjan-Lagos Corridor Highway Management Authority (ALCoMA).
The African Development Bank (AfDB) representative thanked ECOWAS for its leadership and emphasized the Bank’s continued commitment to mobilizing resources for the highway’s construction. The representative urged for the swift completion of studies to enable financing and procurement to commence.
The Ministers conveyed their respective Governments’ strong commitment to the project’s successful implementation, underscoring its strategic significance for economic and social transformation. They acknowledged progress made in technical studies and the establishment of ALCoMA, reaffirming their commitment to ensure its operationalization.
Under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Works for Nigeria, Sen. Engr David UMAHI, the Ministers noted progress made by Member States in protecting their Right of Way reservations and stressed the need to address remaining barriers, expedite pending activities, secure necessary financing, and commence construction promptly.
The Ministers highlighted outstanding areas requiring correction by the Consultants for the Detailed Design Study and urged ECOWAS to ensure the submission of all Revised Engineering Design Reports by December 2024.
The next Steering Committee meeting is scheduled for December 2024 in Togo.
