The Federal Ministry of Works and Housing has said that the choice of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc as the contractor to handle the important construction and rehabilitation works of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-road project “was not a mistake by the Government”.
The position of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing was stated by the Federal Controller of Works Engr. F.J Zira at the official handover and opening ceremony of a completed portion of section two of the road by Julius Berger to ease the expected heavy traffic and to enhance a joyful travel experience for commuters plying the road during the Christmas and New Year festivities.
The Federal Controller of Works, Engr. Zira stated that, concerning the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road project, Julius Berger was working professionally, assiduously and consistently as scheduled on the road, adding that there was no cause for worry about the delivery of the project. Julius Berger, he said, has the historical operational legacy, qualified engineering construction capacity, deployed technical and professional resources as well as the requisite logistical competence needed to deliver the project as planned. He emphasized that: “The choice of Julius Berger was not a mistake”.
Engr. Zira, thanked Julius Berger for the partial opening up of completed portion of Section 2 of the project between Kawo Bridge junction in Kaduna State capital and Zaria, adding that the partial opening of the completed part of the road would go a long way to make travel experience of commuters more enjoyable.
Also speaking in the same vein at the opening ceremony, the Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission, Hassan T. Mohammed commended and thanked the contractor, Julius Berger, for its helpful commitment to enhance road safety as well as ease the pains of commuters using the road by the partial opening of section 2, even as work continue to progress steadily on the rest of the road.
The Abuja-Kano Road (AKR) project contract was awarded on the 2nd of January 2018 with a completion period of 36 months.
The project entails the rehabilitation of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road, in the FCT, Kaduna and Kano States.
There are three (3) sections in the project;
Section 1 of the road starts at Zuba junction, Zuba and terminates at Kaduna western Bypass in the Kaduna State capital; Section 2 of the project runs between Kawo Bridge junction in the Kaduna State capital and Zaria; and Section 3 of the road project connects Zaria town to Kano.
The portions of the road ready for partial handing over in December 2019 are work zones 9 & 10 located in Section II of the project. These work zones of the road have been completed up to the wearing course and temporary road markings has been completed as well.
In recognition of the yuletide season and the reasonably anticipated heavy traffic which usually characterise this festive period of the year, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc committed to work and hand over these zones to the client (the Federal Ministry of Works) to alleviate hardship usually experienced because of heavy traffic.
Also present at the ceremony was the Unit Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps Nuhu Mu’Awiya.
The Julius team at the event included Engr. Jan Hakenes, Engr. Hauke Deckerm, Engr. Kamal Kaawachi, Mr. Ronny Rasslof, Mr James Agama, and Mr Hassan T. Mohammed.
The works of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road project remain steadily in progress.
