The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the reconstruction of the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway at a cost of N797.2 billion, an upward review of N642.2 billion of the N155 billion initially approved for rehabilitation of the road.
Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, told newsmen at the close of Wednesday’s FEC meeting that the initial rehabilitation contract was awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Limited.
He said, “I presented a memorandum and one report with respect to the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway to change the scope of works form rehabilitation previously awarded to full reconstruction of two lanes on both sides. The Council considered and approved the request for that change of scope and the incidental cost consequence changing the existing contract from N155 billion to N797.236 billion.
“The new scope provides for full reconstruction of the main carriageway, trailer parks, weigh bridges, toll stations and additional side lanes in the built-up areas across the FCT, Niger, Kaduna and Kano States, which are all served by the road; this was approved by Council for the same contractor”, adding that he also briefed the Council on the progress of the Highway Development/Management Initiative.
The initiative, he said, is aimed at attracting investments from the private sector in road maintenance, management and provision of allied services, with the first phase expected to cover 12 roads of about 1,963 kilometres across the country.
Fashola listed the roads to include Benin-Asaba, Abuja-Lokoja, Kano-Katsina, Onitsha-Aba, Sagamu-Benin, Kano-Maiduguri, Enugu- Port Harcourt, Ilorin-Jebba and Lagos-Badagry.
