FG to disburse N280 billion to Julius Berger for the completion of the Abuja-Kano Highway.

The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, announced that the federal government will allocate N20 billion each month to Julius Berger Construction Company to ensure the completion of the 82 km segment of the Abuja-Kano highway over the next 14 months.

During a meeting with the company to assess the ongoing road contracts, the minister expressed concern about the limited financial resources available to finish all the significant road projects he inherited.

In a statement released by his media team, Minister Orji Uchenna Orji highlighted several key road projects. These include the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano route, the second phase of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, the Second Niger Bridge, the Third Mainland Bridge, as well as the Iddo and Carter Bridges.

“In keeping with the directive of the Federal Executive Council with respect to all inherited and new projects being handled by a number of multinational companies being delayed due to issues of price differentials or poor funding, the Federal Ministry of Works has opened a decisive discussion with Julius Berger Plc on all the inherited and new projects handled by them.

“With a view to appraising their performance and take decisions on funding and milestones completion of all such awarded projects as part of the measures of the Renewed Hope administration to mitigate the suffering of road users at this moment of economic challenges.”

“On the section of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road agreed to be handled by Julius Berger Plc, he commended the quality of work being done but directed the contractor to stick to one carriageway at a time within the scope and conclude their works. The contractor was further directed to, within three weeks, fill the two carriageways with stone base and level it to alleviate the sufferings of road users. He further agreed that the project, within their own corridor, will last for 14 months. Project execution should be deployed in four sections, and we will be paying Berger N20bn every month to get the job completed.”