The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has said that work on the 16-year-old Kaduna Eastern bypass project will be completed in 2019.
It was gathered that contract for the project was awarded on November 24, 2002 to Eksiogullari Construction (Nig) at the cost of N16 billion. The 48 kilometer road to link the Abuja-Kaduna highway with the Kaduna-Zaria road was initially billed for completion within three years.
As at 2015, only 16 kilometres, representing about 30 per cent of the job, have been done.
Work on the road has however resumed after the Federal Executive Council approved additional N22 billion for the completion of the Kaduna eastern bypass on February 22, 2017.
The Minister said while inspecting the project in Kaduna that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was determined to complete the project on or before 2019.
He said the administration was committed to improving the nation’s infrastructure and economy.
Fashola commended the level of work done but noted some structural defects in parts of the construction and charged the contractors and consultants handling the project to immediately correct it.
He told the contractors not to worry about payment as it was the responsibility of the government to pay them no matter what.
The minister admonished consultants on all road projects across the country to brace up and execute the contracts judiciously or the projects would be re-assigned.
Also speaking, the Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Barnabas Bala, said the Eastern bypass would open the city and scale up economic activities and development.
Men at work on Kano Western Bypass #FasholaNWTour pic.twitter.com/hcOFDHbz71
— Federal Ministry of PWH (@FMPWH) March 12, 2018
HM Babatunde Raji Fashola interacts with Kano State comptroller of works on durability and sustainability of the 74km Kano-Kastina Road Project. #FasholaNWTour pic.twitter.com/kCNso87dKx
— Federal Ministry of PWH (@FMPWH) March 12, 2018
HM Babatunde Raji Fashola interacts with Kano State comptroller of works on durability and sustainability of the 74km Kano-Kastina Road Project. #FasholaNWTour pic.twitter.com/kCNso87dKx
— Federal Ministry of PWH (@FMPWH) March 12, 2018
