The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, announced that the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano dual carriageway will be completed and ready for use within 14 months.
Idris made this statement during the inauguration of the rehabilitation of Section 1 of the road (Abuja to Kaduna) rigid pavement on Thursday.
Section 1 spans from Abuja to Kaduna, Section 2 covers Kaduna to Zaria, and Section 3 extends from Zaria to Kano.
The scope of the project includes scarifying and pulverizing the existing bituminous surface to use as sub-base material, as well as filling embankments.
Other work includes the provision of approved crushed rock material (wet or dry) to a thickness of 100mm with three percent stabilization in the shoulders and carriageway, reinforced concrete-lined drains, and additional hydraulic structures as needed.
Further scope also involves the installation of median barriers and drains where necessary, and the provision of CRCP 200mm thick on both the carriageway and shoulders.
Idris noted that the Minister of Works, David Umahi, had thoroughly addressed and clarified any political concerns regarding the project.
“President Bola Tinubu is very committed and determined to ensure that this road from Abuja to Kano is completed in record time of 14 months.
“This is the reason the government cancelled the road contract with the former contractor who said it would complete the road in three years and the government refused and insisted on 14 months.
“That is also why it was broken into three segments for ease of construction. Nigerians, especially those plying this road, are anxious to see that the road is completed, ” he said.
He said that delay of any kind would not be accepted.
“The President has given a matching order, and the National Assembly is also given them the necessary cooperation and there will be no issues.
“Within 14 months, we are going to have a brand new road from Abuja end to Kano,” Idris said.
Meanwhile, Umahi explained that there was an extension of the road to Aminu Kano International Airport and another five-kilometre extension on the Abuja-Lokoja end of the road.
According to Umahi, Section 1 of the road starts at Zuba Junction, Zuba Interchange and terminates at Kaduna Western Bypass in Kaduna.
He said that the road, which will have solar lights, would last between 50 and 100 years.
“Note that the existing pavement between Abuja to Kaduna has undergone different levels of deterioration over the years.
“This has caused failure due to alligator cracks, corrugation, shoving, underground pumping, rutting, ravelling, potholes and poor drainage.
“The ministry quickly intervened by commencing emergency repairs on this stretch in order to ameliorate the suffering of the road users.
“The maintenance work is in progress in four different stretches simultaneously in order to fast-track the repair works,” Umahi said.