Sani, Umahi vow swift completion of Abuja–Kaduna expressway highway

The Federal Government has revoked the reconstruction and expansion of the Mararaba-Keffi dual carriageway contract it awarded to China Harbour Engineering Company due to negligence and refusal to adhere to engineering designs, despite several warnings.
 
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, said the work would henceforth be handled by local contractors with a proven track record.
   
According to him, the slow pace of construction has been causing considerable hardship for road users and residents along the corridor.
 
Accompanied by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Muhammad Goronyo, Directors and other staff of the ministry, representatives of the construction firms handling the various projects, the minister discussed at the Keffi flyover with the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule, Senator Ahmed Wadata, officials of the state government, and other stakeholders.
 
Umahi emphasised that the Federal Government is committed to delivering high-quality and durable road infrastructure, meeting global engineering standards capable of serving Nigerians for decades.
   
“We cannot continue to tolerate uncooperative contractors who delay projects and ignore directives,” he declared.

Besides, Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has met with Umahi to conduct a comprehensive review of the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano Expressway project, with a renewed push for its speedy completion.
 
The strategic meeting, held in Abuja, focused on accelerating work on the Abuja–Jere–Kaduna segment — a vital route serving millions of Nigerians daily for mobility, trade, and social connection.
 
Sani described the highway as more than just a transportation link, calling it a “national artery” essential to the socio-economic integration of Northern Nigeria.
 
He noted that the project aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at modernising infrastructure and driving national competitiveness.
 
“This expressway is not just a road — it is an economic corridor connecting people, markets, and opportunities across Northern Nigeria and beyond,” Sani stated.
   
Responding, Umahi commended the governor’s proactive engagement and advocacy, reaffirming the Federal Government’s determination to complete the project in record time.
   
He disclosed that contractors had been instructed to work double shifts to fast-track progress without compromising quality.