Rehabilitation Of Abuja-Kaduna Highway Attains 80% Completion, To Be Ready April

The federal government has reaffirmed commitment to completing the Abuja-Kaduna highway by the end of April.
This is as the project has attained 80 per cent completion despite the termination of the previous contract handled by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.
The project was later re-awarded to Infouest Nigeria Limited, a development that sparked controversy on the firm’s capacity to deliver on the project.

The controller of works, Federal Ministry of Works, Chukuma Kalu, during an inspection tour on Tuesday said the decision to re-award the contract was necessary to fast-track the delivery of the strategic road, described as the “heartbeat of the nation.”

He said, “As you know, the history of this project has been, with back and forth between the ministry and the former contractor, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. So there are issues with the former contractor and the project was terminated and re-awarded to Infouest Nigeria Limited,” he said.

He explained that the road was redesigned from asphalt pavement to rigid pavement, specifically Continuous Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP), to ensure durability and longevity.

“This road is so, so important that this government thought it wise that it should be done once and for all. That is why even the road was redesigned from asphaltic pavement to rigid pavement. That is continuous reinforced concrete pavement,” he added.

According to him, the road serves as a vital artery linking the north central and northwest regions to Abuja and connecting Lagos to the northern part of the country.
He noted that infrastructure development remains a priority under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Providing an update, Engr. Kalu, said the re-completion of the outstanding sections was awarded in two lots under Section One.

He said the project includes a 40.5-kilometre dual CRCP stretch, totalling 81 kilometres, a 17.3-kilometre asphalt section linking the Kano-Zaria road, and a 6.63-kilometre dual asphalt wearing course overlay in Kano State.

“To date, we have completed the 6.63 dual asphalt road in Kano, the road to Kano airport, which has been marked with street lights. The 17.3 kilometres asphalt road leading to Kano-Zaria road is about 80 per cent complete. We are putting records on it now on some sections of the road,” Kalu said.

He added that out of the 81 kilometres of CRCP, 60 kilometres have been completed, leaving 21 kilometres to be delivered before the end of April.

“We work in the daytime and we also work at night to make sure we meet our targets of completing 81 kilometres by the end of April,” he said.

On his part, the senior project manager, Infouest Nigeria Limited, Robert Turner, said the company is working round the clock to meet the deadline.

“At the moment, we are basically on 80 per cent of where we should be for Section One. We’re working day and night shifts to make up our time and to make it as less inconvenient for the public as possible.

He added, “We give our full commitment to finishing by the end of April. It is our privilege to make our minister and our president happy by completing it in time so that it can serve the benefit of the country in many ways,” he concluded.