Minister of Works, David Umahi, has expressed confidence that all segments of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway will be finalized within the next 24 months.
This announcement came during Umahi’s inspection of the Abuja-Kaduna section of the highway on Friday.
Accompanied by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Economy, Wale Edun, Umahi shared that the government revised the timeline in collaboration with the road’s contractor, Julius Berger Construction Company.
The new commitment contrasts with the previous pledge to complete the road in 2024.
The initial promise for the road’s completion within 36 months was made by the previous government under former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018.
However, only the Kaduna to Zaria section saw completion during the government’s tenure.
Umahi attributed the delays to financial constraints but reassured the public of the government’s unwavering dedication to finishing the project promptly.
According to him, Julius Berger committed to completing 15 kilometers daily under the agreed-upon timeline, signaling a determined effort to meet the new completion goal.
“Initially when we started, Berger had four sections working but we ran into hitches due to funding. Now the finance minister has assured us of adequate funding, so we agreed that they are going to go back to four sections.
“By four sections, we are looking at the completion of 15 kilometres of road every month.
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“We are now looking at 24 months to finish the project. We are assured of financing by the minister and the contractors have reassured that they are going to come back.
“I commend the palliative work done on the road. The signing of the outstanding certificate of N17 billion, then the other of N33 billion is being processed, so we assure that funding will not be a problem,” News Agency of Nigeria quoted Umahi as saying.
Giving more insight into the project, Umahi said the Kaduna-Zaria road has been completed.
“Now from Kaduna to Zaria is completed, we have only 20 kilometres between Zaria and Kano, and then we have 40 or 38 kilometres from zero point and then another 82 kilometres undone between Abuja and Kaduna.
“So you can say we have about 88 kilometres plus 82 kilometres which is about 120 kilometres undone within the first section, second section: Kaduna-Zaria completed, third section Zaria-Kano, only 20kilometres is left.
“Our concentration would be to finish that 20 kilometres,” Umahi added.
Minister of Economy, on his part, assured Umahi and the contractors of the government’s willingness to fund the project.
“We are here to examine and to hear from the contractors and to get their commitment, encourage and support them so as to complete this all-important reconstruction of the Abuja- Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road.
“They have done over 40 kilometres on this side, we want to urge them to do more. Infrastructure is critical, it is a critical priority of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
“That is how we can get food prices down through good transportation, easy transportation of agriculture products.
“That will bring down food prices, and inflation and then stabilise the economy and follow up on the funding that has been made available to ensure that work is going on at the right pace,” Edun said.
