Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has set 24 months deadline for completion of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road.
The minister disclosed this during an inspection tour of the Abuja-Kaduna section of the road yesterday.
Umahi who was accompanied by the minister of finance and coordinating economy, Wale Edun, said the government made the new deadline after reaching an agreement with the contractor of the road, Julius Berger Construction Company.
Recall that the minister had promised to complete the road this year.
This followed an unfulfilled promise of the previous government of Muhammadu Buhari which gave the contract in 2018 on a completion period of 36 months.
The road which would have been completed dragged on till the end of the government with only the Kaduna to Zaria section completed from the three sections.
Speaking during the inspection, Umahi blamed the delay on lack of funds but assured of the government’s commitment to end the road on time.
He said Julius Berger had agreed to complete 15 kilometers monthly, the reason the new date was agreed on.
We are looking at 24 months to finish the project, it can only be Berger that will finish in 24 months, so with assured financing model by the minister of finance it will be completed,” he said.
He added that the total kilometers of road from Abuja to Kaduna is 165km out of which 45km has been completed while 120 is being worked on.
On his part, Edun said the government had plans to increase its revenue and ready to fund all critical roads across the country.
He added that infrastructure is a critical priority of this administration and a source of getting food prices down through good transportation, easy transportation of agriculture products.
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