By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
In the country’s north-west geopolitical zone, the Federal Government has started construction on the 375.9-kilometer Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Highway to become a dual highway.
On July 27, 2024, at the site handover ceremony for the 38-kilometer dual carriageway segment of the road to the Dangote Group of Companies, Minister of Works David Umahi made this statement.
Speaking at the flag-off and handover event, Umahi urged the three firms in charge of the three project portions to demonstrate unwavering commitment to seeing the project through to completion.
He pointed out that since the last assessment was completed roughly nine months ago, the ministry will consider whether a project rate review was necessary to mitigate the consequences of the rise in material costs.
This was stated in a statement released on Saturday by Uchenna Orji, the minister’s special adviser on media.
He stated as follows in the statement provided to ZINGTIE: “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.
Taking advantage of the occasion, the minister introduced “Operation Free Our Roads,” a federal initiative to guarantee that all federal roads undergoing repair are passable for traffic beginning 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 underlined that all of the ministry’s engineers, including those from FERMA, ought to approach the work with seriousness.
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.”
Within Julius Berger’s area, the minister expressed gratitude to the contractor for initiating work promptly and performing well. It was asserted that the federal government anticipated the project to be finished 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