The Federal Government says the Abuja-Kaduna and Zaria-Kano road projects will be completed on May 29, 2025.
The Minister of Works, David Umahi, made this known during the inauguration of the completion of the Abuja-Kaduna – Zaria – Kano Highway on Saturday along Abuja-Kaduna highways.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event also witnessed the unveiling of the “Operation Free Our Roads’’ initiative aimed at ensuring that all federal roads are accessible.
Umahi added that the event was also to handover the 38km dual carriageway section of the road to Dangote Group of Companies and the unveiling of the “Operation Free our Roads” project.
He explained that the road project would be completed by three construction companies; Dangote, Julius Berger and BUA.
“The project started with a mere rehabilitation under the past administration for N155 billion and later the scope was expanded and the price was increased to N655 billion.
“When we came onboard in September last year Julius Berger made request for a reviewed price of N1.5 trillion and that’s where the quarrel started.
“However, we have been able to agree, and then we got an independent consultant, who reviewed the project between Berger and the Ministry of Works and that was about nine months back,” he said.
Umahi said that the project cost was reviewed to about N888 billion with a difference of 640 billion from what Berger needed for the dualisation of the three lanes road.
He said that Berger would be completing their section of the road which is 82 kilometres for about 320 billion Naira.
He added that the Dangote’s section which is about 38 kilometres would cost 126 billion Naira, while the BUA section which 8.66 kilometres times two would cost 41.9 billion Naira.
“However, the Dangote’s section is going to increase in terms of scope and we are reviewing the rate I agree with them because of the cost of things.
“We have agreed in the Ministry of Works that we are going to review it to the price that is reasonable so that they will do the job.
“It is not offering the price that is the issue, but we have to come to a compromise between the contractors and the ministry of works bearing in mind the economic situation.
“When we have reasonable price, the work will be done and then more scope would be covered but if I have unreasonable price, then it becomes a problem which we will not achieve much,’’he said.
Umahi called on the companies handling the three sections of the project to show absolute devotion to the completion of the project.
He assured them that the ministry would look at the need for project rate review to cushion the effects of the increase in material costs since the last review was done about nine months ago.
“So the first section of the work is starting today, with palliatives and earthworks, and then they will now start to put reinforced concrete pavement.
“So what we will be discussing with Berger is what we can do to finish this job within May 29. This is very important because we don’t want to stay here beyond May 29, 2025.
“However, what Berger cannot finish, we will have to take it over and give to Dangote under tax credit and for reinforced concrete pavement,” he said. (NAN)