Governor Mohammed Umar-Bago of Niger on Thursday signed a contract with two firms for the construction of the Bida ring road and rehabilitation of Minna township roads.

Mr Umar-Bago said a bypass from Pago to Garatu is among over 20 roads to be done under the Minna township roads project.

He also explained that the bye-pass will be constructed around 100,000 square kilometres while the Bida ring road will be about 40,000 square kilometres.

Mr Umar-Bago said the road projects aligned with his Urban renewal programme, adding that the Minna and Bida projects are under phase one.

China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) will rehabilitate the township roads in Minna within 24 months, while Arab contractors will execute the ring road project in Bida within 30 months.

The governor further said the second segment of the Minna township roads rehabilitation project has been advertised.

According to him, the projects would open up the areas and generate about N1 trillion and N200 billion, respectively, which will be used to finance more projects.

He assured the contractors of security while warning that the government would not entertain requests for variations.

“Funds have already been earmarked for the projects with a 25 per cent advance payment guaranteed,” he said.

The governor also announced that similar road contracts for Suleja and Kontagora will be signed in the next 30 days.

Earlier, the permanent secretary, Ministry of Works, Hassan Baba-Etsu, said the projects were unprecedented in the state’s history.

Also speaking, the managing director of CCECC, David Wang and that of Arab Contractors, Mohammed Eledaruis, assured the government of the timely completion of the projects.

The state Commissioner of Works, Suleiman Umar, signed the contract on behalf of the government while Messrs Wang and Eledaruis signed for their respective firms.

He said the two projects would create 2,500 direct and 12,000 indirect jobs. 

(NAN)