Minister of Works David Umahi has reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government under the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu to completing the Abuja- Kaduna-Katsina- Kano Federal Highway within a record time.
Umahi stated this during a courtesy visit of the Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, to his office, in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Speaking during the event, the minister said he had the directive of President Tinubu to present a programme that could see to the completion of the project within the next one year.
He assured the governor that the project, which was inherited from the past administration,would be started in three sections as soon as possible.
This was contained in a statement signed and made available to DAILY POST by the minister’s special adviser on media and publicity, Uchenna Orji.
“We are going to have the first section of 38 kilometres by 2, (which is 76 kilometres,) done by Dangote Group of Companies on Tax Credit and it’s going to use concrete to do it.
According to the statement, Umahi said: “We will allow the next 82 kilometres for Julius Berger to handle. And then the last 20 kilometres by 2, (which is 40 kilometres) for BUA to handle and to also use concrete to do that. And I can assure you that the job will start in these three sections within this month of May.”
The minister commended the governor for the peace and development being witnessed in Kaduna State under his administration despite inherent challenges.
He further said the president’s directive on designing 1,000 kilometres Sokoto- Badagry Highway was being handled with dispatch by the Federal Ministry of Works, noting that the project would cover the old African trade route of Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara,Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos States, connecting to Badagry.
He also stated that a proposal was being made to link the South East to the North through the Trans Sahara Highway that would have a spur passing through Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and end in Abuja.
On his part, the Governor of Kaduna State extolled the vision and will of the President of Nigeria in revolutionising road infrastructure, which is a catalyst for the socio- economic development of the nation.
“I have to commend him for his effort. Since his assumption to office, he has made us proud, because he has done extremely well, and because he has been able to follow the blueprint of our President, who promised everyone when he was elected that he would take development to every part of Nigeria, irrespective of those that elected him or not. And of course, that is the agenda, that is the Renewed Hope. Today, we are proud to say that development is reaching everywhere in Nigeria, ” he said.
Governor Sani commended the president’s initiative to construct the Lagos-Calabar Road and the Sokoto-Badagry road, noting that the projects would enhance the socio-economic potential of the country when completed.