The federal government, on Friday, assured that it would now deliver the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Dual Carriageway in 24 months, instead of in 2024.

The minister of works, David Umahi, made this disclosure on Friday when he inspected the road.

Mr Umahi was accompanied on the inspection by Wale Edun, the minister of finance and the coordinating minister of the economy.

The minister had earlier made a commitment to the road being completed in 2024.

He said: “Initially, when we started, Berger had four sections working, but we ran into hitches due to funding. Now the Finance Minister has assured us of adequate funding, so we agreed that they are going to go back to four sections.

“By four sections, we are looking at the completion of 15 kilometres of road every month.

“We are now looking at 24 months to finish the project. We are assured of financing by the minister, and the contractors have reassured us that they are going to come back.

“I commend the palliative work done on the road. The signing of the outstanding certificate of N17 billion, then the other of N33 billion is being processed, so we assure that funding won’t be a problem,” Mr Umahi said.

Giving more insight into the project, Mr Umahi said from Abuja to Kaduna is 165km out of which 45km had been done.

According to him, the total route length is 375 miles dualised, which is equivalent to 715km of central lane.

“Now from Kaduna to Zaria is completed, we have only 20 kilometres between Zaria and Kano, and then we have 40 or 38 kilometres from zero point and then another 82 kilometres undone between Abuja and Kaduna.

“So you can say we have about 88 kilometres plus 82 kilometres, which is about 120 kilometres undone within the first section, second section: Kaduna-Zaria completed, 3rd section Zaria-Kano, only 20km is left.

“Our concentration would be to finish that 20 kilometres,” Mr Umahi said.

On his part, the coordinating minister of the economy assured the minister and contractors of the government’s willingness to fund the project.

“We are here to examine and to hear from the contractors and to get their commitment, encourage and support them so as to complete this all important reconstruction of the Abuja- Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road.

“They have done over 40 kilometres on this side, we want to urge them to do more. Infrastructure is critical, it is a critical priority of the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

“That is how we can get food prices down through good transportation, easy transportation of agriculture products.

“That will bring down food prices, inflation and then stabilise the economy and following up on the funding that has been made available to ensure that work is going on at the right pace,” Mr Edun said.

(NAN)