Wike To Deliver 13km ISEX December

By: Wisdom Acka

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has said that the 13.193-kilometre long, 10-lane Inner Southern Expressway (ISEX) will be completed in December.

The Minister said this after inspection of the project on Monday in Abuja.

Abuja Digest reports that ISEX stretches from off the Police Headquarters, through the National Christian Centre and the Central Bank of Nigeria, all in the Central Business District, and Area 1, connecting Galadima Interchange.

“On the inner southern carriage way, you can see how huge it is, and a very ambitious project. We are not afraid of tackling it. We believe by the grace of God, and with adequate funding, the project will be completed, and of course, will change the landscape of FCT,” he said.

“This will be completed this year. We believe, if we fund them very well, which we believe we will do, the project will be delivered by December,” Wike emphasized.

His words: “We are happy with what the contractors are doing, and we believe that if they fast track the job before the rain comes this year, we will achieve quite a lot. We are happy with the transformation going on in FCT and with the support President Bola Tinubu is given to us, we have no choice but to deliver for the residents to be happy.”

Wike also inspected work on the construction of the 15-kilometre left-handed carriageway of the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) Stage II, running from Ring I Junction to Wasa Junction.

The Minister expressed confidence that when completed, the two projects would decongest traffic along the roads and change Abuja’s landscape and give Abuja defination.

Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad, earlier explained that the left-hand services carriageway project begins from Apo roundabout to Wasa Junction.

Ahmad said that the project was awarded at the cost of N17.6 billion of which N5.1 billion has been paid so far, with outstanding liabilities of N6.2 billion.

He further explained that, the project was at 57.8 per cent completion, requiring over N12.5 billion for completion.

On the Inner Southern Expressway, Ahmad explained that it was an extension from the Southern Parkway to Ring Road II.

The Executive Secretary added that the project, which was at 30 percent completion, was awarded for N91.8 billion; adding that N26.7 billion has been paid so far, leaving N14.1 billion outstanding.

Deputy Director, CGC Nigeria Ltd, Fan Jin, in his remarks, blamed the slow pace of work on the ISEX on high number of bridges, saying it has four interchanges, eight bridges, 15 river bridges, five pedestrian bridges and other ancillary facilities.

Jin assured that the project, which was expected to be completed in 2027, could, however, be delivered soon if well-funded.