Chairman of Brentex Limited, Howard Wang, the contractor handling the construction of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Pipeline Project Segment 2 has assured of delivering on the mandate.
Speaking during an inter-ministerial visit to the project site, Mr Wang commended the Nigerian Government and NNPC Limited for their trust in awarding Brentex CPP Consortium the ‘Engineering, Procurement and Construction’ contract for the 40 × 318.6km AKK Gas Pipeline Project Segment 2 starting from Sarkin Pawa in Niger State to Kano.
Mr Wang assured of their readiness to complete the project by the first quarter of 2025, noting that despite the challenges of insecurity, COVID-19 and others, the company would succeed in delivering the construction segment of the project.
He said, “The achievements so far recorded include the completion of the 98.54 percent of the linear construction works within the three years of active construction; the completion of 100 percent HDD crossing for Shika River in Kaduna State and Hadeijia River in Kano State and we have achieved more than 51 percent for Kaduna HDD River crossing in Kaduna State.”
He further expressed that looking back, the flag-off of the AKK project for segment 2, took place at the same location in 2020 and “today, we are proud to state that, Brentex CPP has recorded monumental achievements in the implementation of the project.”
The chairman disclosed that they successfully engaged more than 61 local sub-contractors at all levels of the project and directly employed more than 1,925 skilled and semi-skilled Nigerian workers.
He further disclosed that they recorded a total of 11.2 million man-hours with only one single Lost Time Incident (LTI), which occurred in March 2024.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government through the three cabinet ministers has highlighted the huge multiplier impact of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Gas pipeline project on the nation’s economic growth and industrialisation.
This is just as the group chief executive officer (GCEO) of NNPC Ltd, Mr Mele Kyari assured Nigerians that the project would be delivered by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
The three ministers who visited the project site were Mr Wale Edun (Finance/coordinating minister of the Economy); Mr Mohammed Idris (Information and National Orientation) and Rt Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo (minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Gas).
The minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the Economy, Mr Edun described the AKK Gas pipeline as the pipeline of prosperity which is very dear to Mr President because it will deliver the critical infrastructure needed to trigger the nation’s economic growth and industrialisation.
In his remarks, the minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr Mohammed Idris said, “Nigerians should be proud of the AKK Gas Pipeline project. With the delivery of this project, the prosperity that Mr. President is always talking about is unravelling right here before our eyes.”
On his part, the minister of state for Petroleum Resources (Gas), Rt Hon Ekperikpe Ekpo said, the gas pipeline is part of the Federal Government’s many efforts to harness the nation’s abundant gas resources towards improving power generation, revamping ailing industries and creating employment opportunities in the country.
Ekpo urged all stakeholders to support the NNPC Ltd towards delivering the project and several other gas projects as the country depends on it to bring prosperity to the people.
The three ministers, who lauded the NNPC Ltd and its project partner, Brentex/CPP Ltd (BCL) on the progress made so far, also expressed optimism that the NNPC will deliver as promised.
Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, represented by his deputy, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, said the completion of the AKK gas pipeline will herald the much-needed economic and industrial revival in the state.
