Nigeria’s federal government said on Thursday that it had begun the design of the 1,000 kilometres Sokoto -Badagry highway, on President Bola Tinubu’s directive.
A statement from the Ministry of Works stated that the design was being handled with dispatch by its officials, noting that the project would cover the old African trade route of Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos States, connecting to Badagry in Lagos.
The government also committed to completing the Abuja- Kaduna-Katsina- Kano federal highway within record time, according to a statement by Uchenna Orji, the spokesman to David Umahi, the minister in charge of the ministry.
Umahi spoke during a courtesy visit of the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani to his office, in Mabushi, Abuja.
Speaking during the event, the minister said he had the directive of the president to present a programme that could see to the completion of the project within the next one year.
He assured the governor that the project, which was inherited from the past administration, would be started in three sections as soon as possible.
He said: “We are going to have the first section of 38 kilometres by 2, (which is 76 kilometres,) done by Dangote Group of Companies on Tax Credit and it’s going to use concrete to do it.
“We will allow the next 82 kilometres for Julius Berger to handle. And then the last 20 kilometres by 2, (which is 40 kilometres) for BUA to handle and to also use concrete to do that. And I can assure you that the job will start in these three sections within this month of May.”
On the Sokoto-Badagry road, he said: “The president’s directive on designing 1000 kilometres Sokoto- Badagry Highway is being handled with dispatch by the Federal Ministry of Works, .
“ The project would cover the old African trade route of Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Lagos States, connecting to Badagry.”
He also stated that a proposal was being made to link the South East to the North through the Trans Sahara Highway that would have a spur passing through Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and end in Abuja.
On his part, the governor of Kaduna State commended the President’s initiative to construct Lagos-Calabar road and the Sokoto-Badagry road, noting that the projects would enhance the socio-economic potential of the country when completed.
He emphasised the importance of the federal government’s intervention on the Eastern Bypass in Kaduna State, the Mando-Benigwari road connecting the North West.
He said that the road was of prime importance for agricultural programmes in the North.
“And for all of us in Northern Nigeria, you will agree with me that farming is very important. And what we really want is creating opportunities for people that are in the rural areas. That will certainly help, particularly our farmers, linking our farms with markets. Our people believe in this infrastructure to support our farmers,” he added.
Emmanuel Addeh
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