TheCable

The federal executive council has changed the scope of the repair works to be done on the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway.

Babatunde Fashola, the minister of works and housing, told journalists at the end of the federal executive council meeting on Wednesday that the scope of work on the highway was changed from the ongoing renovation to complete reconstruction.

Fashola said the initial rehabilitation contract was awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria for N155 billion.

The project will now cost N797.2 billion, an increase of N642.2 billion from the initial project cost.

“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,” he said.

“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.”

Fashola said the project would be done in phases with the first phase being the 74km Kaduna-Zaria section, which is expected to be completed by the fourth quarter of 2022 (Q4 2022).

He said that the second phase, which is the 137Km Zaria-Kano section, will be completed in the first quarter of 2023 (Q1 2023); while the last phase, the Abuja-Kaduna section, should be completed in the second quarter of 2023 (Q2 2023).

He also said some roads that were recently rehabilitated would soon be handed over, these includes: Benin-Asaba, Abuja-Lokoja, Kano-Katsina, Onitsha-Aba, Sagamu-Benin, Kano-Maiduguri, Enugu-Port Harcourt, Ilorin-Jebba and Lagos-Badagry.

In his remarks, Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior, said N10.4 billion was approved for the procurement of fire fighting vehicles and equipment for the Federal Fire Service.

Aregbesola said the approval covers the supply of 44 fire engines and the supply of 15 water tankers; 15 rapid intervention fire engines that can go into nooks and crannies to respond to distress calls; and supply of 20 basic life support ambulances.

He explained that in all, about 79 fire fighting vehicles and equipment will be procured to enhance the capacity of the Federal Fire Service to effectively control and manage fire-related emergencies.