The Federal Government has commenced work on the dualisation of the 375.9-km Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Highway in the North-West geopolitical zone of the country.
Minister of Works David Umahi stated this during the flag-off of work and the site handover of the 38-km dual carriageway section of the road to Dangote Group of Companies on July 27, 2024.
Speaking during the flag-off and handover ceremony, Umahi charged the three companies handling the three sections of the project to show absolute devotion to the completion of the project.
He noted that the ministry would look at the need for a project rate review to cushion the effects of the increase in material costs, given that the last review was done about nine months ago.
This was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media, Uchenna Orji.
In the statement made available to Newspot, he said: “The first section is 38 kilometres by two, which is 76 kilometres. The work is starting today, with palliatives and earthworks, and then they will now start to put in reinforced concrete pavement.”
The minister used the opportunity to launch the federal government’s ‘Operation Free Our Roads,’ which is aimed at making sure that all the federal roads under rehabilitation are made motorable starting this rainy season.
He said: “We are using this as a point of contact to flag off ‘Free our Roads’ all over the country. They will use a stone base to fill and free all the potholes. In failed portions or where we have potholes, they will all be filled, both carriageways.
“They will continue to maintain one carriageway for vehicles to follow while they consistently work on one carriageway.”
He emphasised the need for the ministry’s engineers to take the task seriously, including those of FERMA.
According to him: “Operation ‘Free Our Roads,’ is not only for the Ministry of Works, but also for FERMA. We’re going to put our eyes; all the directors and all the Zonal engineers of FERMA must take this thing very seriously.”
At the section handled by Julius Berger, the minister commended the contractor for already starting work and doing a good job and maintained that the federal government expected the entire project to be completed and delivered by May 2025.
“What we will be discussing with Berger is what we can do to finish this job by May 29. This is very important because we don’t want to stay here beyond May 29, 2025. What Berger cannot finish, we would also have to take it over and give it to Dangote under tax credit for reinforced concrete pavement,” he said.
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