Umahi assures Abuja-Kaduna road completion in 2024

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, says that the Abuja-Kaduna highway will be completed by the end of 2024.

According to NAN, Umahi stated on Thursday during a meeting with directors in the ministry.

The minister promised to remove any barriers to delivery in order to guarantee that the project is realised for the benefit of Nigerians.

The reconstruction project of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano expressway was awarded in 2018.

He revealed that there are still two portions of the road that needs to be completed, totaling around 1.7 km, and that his ministry has started some project oversight work.

“We have about 1.7 kilometers left of Abuja-Kaduna in two sections. The ministry has some supervision work to be done on that road and we will be advised on the real designs of the two sections,” Umahi said.

“Funding is also an issue because it is under the presidential development fund initiative gotten from looted funds. I have had to discuss with Mr president about the importance of the road for all users.

“But I won’t be able to go back to him until we re-scope it because the project was N165 billion before and a review brought the cost to N655 billion but today the contractor is asking for N1.35 trillion and the government cannot afford it.

“What they are asking for is very wrong. We are looking at the existing subgrade and see what we can do about it.

“We are also looking at the first 40 km to be constructed by Dangote under the Tax credit scheme to do it on concrete pavement but I am very committed to completing that road this year.

“No matter what happens, that road will be done this year.”