PRESS RELEASE:FCT MINISTER URGES SPEEDY COMPLETION OF KUJE-GWAGWALADA ARTERIAL ROAD

…Chides Kuje Chairman for poor sanitation in the town.

Bearing in mind the economic importance of the Kuje-Gwagwalada road, the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has urged contractors and engineers involved in the construction of the Kuje-Gwagwalada road to ensure timely and quality completion of the project.

The Minister, gave this charge when he paid an unscheduled visit to the project site on Friday, August 11, 2017.

Siting the economic importance of the 16.5Km road traversing major agricultural firms and farmlands, the Minister also underscored its strategic significance as an alternative route that breaks gridlocks in and out of Abuja and could provide reliefs during emergencies.    

Malam Bello therefore urged the supervising agencies, Satellite Town Development Department (STDD) and FCDA Engineering Department to ensure that contractors comply with contract terms, particularly in the areas of the road shoulders and quality of asphalting. He directed the agencies to ensure the provision of drainages for the road.  

Speaking to news men during the tour, Malam Bello said, “I am here as part of the policy of the Administration to ensure that infrastructure projects that would significantly impact the lives of the residents are completed. As you know, during the last few months, we have spent a lot of time working on the major arterial roads within the city where we have made substantial payments to contractors and as you can see a lot of work is ongoing.

“The next phase is to look towards rural roads outside of the city proper, because they are also very crucial and serve as means to bringing people and goods into and outside the city.”

Of the N700 Million total contract sum, the Minister disclosed that nearly N400 Million has paid to contractors thus far, including recent payments which enabled the contractor for the Gwagwalada segment to mobilize to site.

“This particular road is a very old road,” the Minister observed, “and an important link into the city and we have stressed the need to ensure quality work and to do it taking care of the shoulders as well as the drainages. The target is to finish this work before the end of the year. On our own part, we hope to make adequate payments to ensure early completion.”

The Minister who was accompanied in the inspection by the Gomo of Kuje, Alh. Tanko Jibril and Council Chairman Abdulahi Galadima, also chided the Kuje Area Council Chairman for the poor state of sanitation in major roads leading to the town. According to him, while FCT was ready to take up major infrastructural works in the town,  including the road leading to the Kuje Prison, the Chairman should be up and doing in ensuring proper hygiene and waste management in the town.

STDD Director, Arc. Victoria Imande in her brief to the Minister, disclosed that the road is about 60 percent complete while the remaining 40 percent will hopefully be completed by the end of the year. She noted that portions of the road that were already showing signs of failure have been marked out and noted that the contractor has been contacted to make amends.

It could be recalled that reconstruction of the Kuje portion of the Kuje-Gwagwalada road, measuring 10km was awarded in 2011 to Messrs Craine Builders and Engineering Ltd with a completion date of January 2016.  At the time of award, the Gwagwalada end measuring 6.5km was fairly motorable, but soon began to deteriorate due to use prompting the immediate past Administration to award the contract for its rehabilitation to M/S Teleview International Nig. Ltd.

No sooner the job was commenced than it was abandoned due to lack of funding. But following recent release of funds and commitment shown by the present Administration the contractor has mobilized to site with progress at 60 percent.

 

Cosmas Uzodinma
Press Secretary
FCT Minister

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