Aminat Yahaya —
Nigeria’s Minister of State, Works and Housing, Umar El-Yakub during a courtsey visit to the Kaduna State Government House, said work on the Kaduna-Abuja highway, and Zaria-Kano road would be completed early 2023 to reduce negative effects on road users.
While explaining that that work was suspended due to security challenges on the expressway, El-Yakub noted that the contractors only mobilized their resources to zones two and three due to security situation in the area.
“We are even hoping that some sections would be completed very early next year but our preference is to ensure that the entire road is completed,” the Minister said.
He also explained that appreciable progress has been made on sections II and III of the project covering Zaria-Kano, but lamented the difficulties faced by commuters on the Abuja-Kaduna section of the road.
He explained further that the Ministry of Works and Housing has discussed with the contractor who has agreed to do a quick fix on the bad sections of the road between Abuja and Kaduna in the short term to alleviate the sufferings currently faced by road users.
He disclosed that even while the palliative intervention is on, the contractor will fully mobilise back to the Abuja-Kaduna section of the project within a short period.
The minister commended Gov. Nasir El-Rufai and his team for the significant transformation of the state.
The Minister is in Kaduna to inspect some of the ongoing federal government projects, including the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway, and the Kaduna eastern bypass, among others.