By Ken Stanley

… As Enugu State Taskforce on Traffic Management, Security inaugurated

The telecommunication giant, MTN, says that construction work on the 2nd section of Ugwu-Onyema axis of Enugu-Onitsha Highway recommences in March as contractor handling the project is mobilised to site.

It would be recalled that MTN is funding the Enugu-Onitsha Highway construction through the Federal Government novel Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme (RITCS).

Chief Chris Okoye, the Chairman/Principal Consultant, Crown Crest Global Engineers (CCGE) representing MTN Community Liaison Initiative, gave the assurance on Wednesday in Enugu.

Okoye said this after an inaugural meeting of the Taskforce on the Management of Traffic within the 9th Mile-Ugwu Onyeama to 82 Division Junction Corridor.

He said that the telecommunication giant was desirous to push and complete substantial part of the construction of the Enugu-Onitsha Highway this 2025.

The principal consultant noted that “God’s willing between February 2026 and June 2026, the entire work for the MTN sections of the road must had been completed and the road handed over to the Federal Government and the Nigerian people.

According to him, we are looking at completing the work in all the 22 kilometers stretch being handled by MTN, which also covers the section of the road within the Oji River axis being done by Niger-Cat this 2025.

“We regret the unfortunate incident of fuel-laden tanker explosion and we are highly disturbed by such incident,” he said.

On the meeting, Okoye said that it brought together Enugu State Government representatives, safety management agencies and security agencies to discuss and deliberate on issues bordering on traffic management and road security on the Enugu-Onitsha Highway.

He said that the essence of the joint taskforce and synergy was to enforcement 100 per cent compliance to lane integrity on the entire road, most especially between 9th Mile to 82 Division Junction Corridor of the road.

The chairman said that another point deliberated on is how to ensure the implementation of the anti-spill lock for trucks plying the road as directed by the Enugu State Government.

According to him, we want to ensure the road is a Smart Road having all road furniture and technology; which included solar-powered lights, security cameras and others to go with it.

“Smart Roads are in vogue world over and well fashioned for good traffic management and security; while it is planned to be a freeway to encourage a free flow of traffic from one end to the other end.

“When completed, there will be no difference between day and night time driving on this Highway as there are plans to deploy solar-powered lights right from Enugu to Onitsha.

“CCTV Surveillance Cameras will be deployed along the length of the road in which control rooms will be installed to monitor activities on the road.

“Checkpoints will no longer be needed as the Smart Road Concept is fully adopted, instead lots of security patrols will be encouraged to guard against a situation where checkpoints slow down traffic on the Highway,” he said.

Safety management agencies and security agencies present at the meeting included: representative of Gov. Peter Mbah on Security; Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police, NSCDC, FRSC, Federal Fire Service, Enugu State Ministries of Transport and Information among others.