Abuja-Kaduna Expressway to be completed in 2024 – Works Minister

“I am very committed to completing that road this year. No matter what happens, that road will be done this year”

Barring any delay and other logistics, the Federal Government says it is committed to delivering the uncompleted section of the Abuja-Kaduna dual carriageway before the end of 2024.

The Minister of Works, Mr David Umahi, said at a meeting with directors of the ministry on Thursday that one of the major challenges mitigating against the completion of the project is funding.

He said:”This is because the road is under the presidential development fund initiative gotten from looted funds.

“We have about 1.7 kilometers left of Abuja-Kaduna in two sections. The ministry has some supervision work to be done tomorrow on that road and we will be advised on the real designs of the two sections.

“Funding is also an issue because it is under the presidential development fund initiative gotten from looted funds. I have had to discuss with Mr President about the importance of the road for all Northerners.

“But I won’t be able to go back to him until we re-scope it because the project was N165bn before and a review brought the cost to N655bn but today the contractor is asking for N1.35 trillion and the government cannot afford it.

“What they are asking is very wrong. So we are looking at existing sub-grade and see what we can do about it. We are also looking at the first 40km to be constructed by Dangote under the tax credit scheme to do it on concrete pavement.

“But I am very committed to completing that road this year. No matter what happens, that road will be done this year.”

Persecond News reports that the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari had failed to complete the project since it awarded the contract to Julius Berger in 2018.

Former Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) had in April 2023, said Abuja-Kaduna road project suffered all kinds of delays because the Right of Way (ROW) has severely encroached on by the Federal Capital Territory, Niger and Kaduna States, thereby undermining its completion before May 29, 2023.