RENEWED HOPE ADMINISTRATION COMMITTED TO COMPLETING THE ABUJA-KADUNA- KASTINA-KANO FEDERAL HIGHWAY, COMMENCES  DESIGN OF SOKOTO -BADAGRY  ROAD The Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency, Sen. Engr. Dr. Nweze David Umahi CON  has reiterated  the commitment  of Federal Government  under the Renewed Hope administration of the President of Nigeria, His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to completing  the Abuja- Kaduna-Katsina- Kano Federal  Highway  within a record  time.  He stated this during a courtesy visit of the Governor of Kaduna State, His Excellency, Sen. Uba Sani to his office, Mabushi-Abuja, on 7th May 2024.  Speaking  during  the event,  the Honourable  Minister said  he had the directive  of Mr. President to present  a programme  that could see to the completion  of the project within  the next one year.  He assured the Governor that the project, which  was inherited   from the past administration, would  be started in three sections as soon as possible. He said, "We are going to have the first section of 38 kilometers by 2, (which is 76 kilometers,) done by Dangote Group  of Companies on Tax Credit and it's going to use concrete to do it. We will allow the next 82 kilometers for Julius Berger to handle. And then the last 20 kilometers by 2,  (which is 40 kilometers) for  BUA to handle and  to also use concrete to do that.  And I can assure you that the job will start in these three sections within this month of May." The Honourable Minister commended  the Governor  for the peace and development being witnessed in  Kaduna State under his administration despite inherent challenges. "I want to commend you very highly. In spite of the challenges you have in your State, you have started extremely very well.  And God will be with you. God will provide the means  because you mean well  for the nation, for your people in Kaduna State and in fact, for everyone who is living in Kaduna State.  I want to commend you. I commend you for the peace of the State, the unity of the State and the oneness of the State, irrespective of religion "He further  stated that the  President's  directive on designing  1000 kilometers  Sokoto- Badagry Highway was being  handled with dispatch by the Federal Ministry of Works, noting  that  the project  would cover the old African trade route  of Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Ondo,  Oyo, Ogun, Lagos States, connecting  to Badagry.   He also stated that a proposal was being made to link the South East to the North through the Trans Sahara Highway  that would have a spur passing through Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and end in Abuja. On his part, the Governor of Kaduna State extolled  the vision and will  of the President of Nigeria  in revolutionizing  road infrastructure, which  is a catalyst  for the socio- economic development  of  the  nation, and the commitment  of the Honourable Minister of Works  which has changed  the narrative in the development of road infrastructure in Nigeria.  He said," I have to commend him for his effort. Since his assumption to office, he has made us proud, because he has done extremely well, and because he has been able to follow the blueprint of our President, who has promised everyone when he was elected, that he would take development to every part of Nigeria, irrespective of those that elected him or not. And of course, that is the agenda, that is the Renewed Hope. Today, we are proud to say that development is reaching everywhere in Nigeria." He commended the President's initiative  to construct Lagos-Calabar road and the Sokoto-Badagry road, noting that the projects would enhance the socio-economic potential  of the country when completed. He emphasized the importance of Federal Government's intervention on the Eastern Bypass in Kaduna State, the Mando-Benigwari road connecting the North-West. He said that the road was of prime importance for agricultural programmes in the North. "And for all of us in Northern Nigeria, you will agree with me that farming is very important.  And what we really want is creating opportunities for people that are in the rural areas. That will certainly help, particularly our farmers, linking our farms with markets. Our people believe in this infrastructure to support our farmers. ...

GOVERNOR UBA SANI COMMENDS WORKS MINISTER OVER INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT, URGES COMPLETION OF KEY PROJECTS. Kaduna state Governor Senator Uba Sani, has commended the Honourable Minister of Works His Excellency Engr. Dr. David Umahi over his efforts on Infrastructural development across the Country. The Governor made this remark during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Works in his office in Abuja. Sani praised the progress being made on various road projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road, Sokoto-Badagry Road, and Kaduna- Zamfara –Sokoto as well as the Zaria to Kaduna, Makurdi-Enugu Road amongst others. The Senator the described the Abuja –Kaduna road to link to four (4) states with enormous benefit to cities and rural communities.  He also urged the Minister to complete the Eastern bypass in Kaduna and the Mando – Birnin- Gwari Road, which was promised by President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his campaign visit to Kaduna.      Senator Sani commended the Minister for separating the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano Road project, which will now be constructed by Dangote, BUA, and Julius Berger through the Tax Credit Scheme.  He expressed his excitement over the project's completion within the next one year as directed by President Tinubu.        In his remarks, the Honourable Minister assured Senator Sani that the projects will be completed as scheduled and thanked him for his support and encouragement. He also commended Senator Sani for his leadership role in bringing everyone together irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliations and commitment to the development of Kaduna State and the nation at large. The meeting reinforced the Federal Government's commitment to Infrastructural development and its determination to leave a lasting legacy in Nigeria's path to development. ...

DESIGN  OF 1000KM SOKOTO- BADAGRY  UNDERWAY AS FG PLANS  A NATIONAL ROAD NETWORK  PROGRAMME  THAT LINKS THE 6 GEO-POLITICAL ZONES FOR ENHANCED TRANSPORTATION ECOSYSTEM The Honourable Minister of Works  His Excellency, Sen Engr. Dr. Nweze David Umahi CON has expressed the plan of the Renewed Hope administration of the President of Nigeria, His Excellency President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to connect  the 6 -Geo- political  Zones  of the country with enduring  network  of road that will in turn foster a more secure, safer and sustainable transportation  ecosystem.   The Honourable Minister  gave this indication during  his inspection visit to the km 47 axis of the  Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project at  Eleko,  Lagos State  which the contractor moved to handle due to the ongoing  demolition  around the km 3- 4 of the highway. Speaking  during  the visit, the Honourable Minister, accompanied  by the Federal  Controller of Works, Lagos State, Engr. (Mrs) O. I. Kesha and other technical  team of the Ministry, revealed that he had received  a directive  by Mr. President to commence the immediate  design of the Sokoto- Badagry  Highway,  which is a spur to the Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway. He stated, "And I'm happy that Mr. President has also directed me to start the immediate design of the Sokoto-Badagry Highway, and that one is 1,000 kilometers . We've started the design, and I'm very sure that as soon as FEC approves it, we will be starting at Sokoto side, which is going to be the zero point.  In the course  of the  inspection, the Honourable  Minister noted  the need to realign the coastal  highway  around  the  axis of the Lekki Deep Sea Port at the point of km 47  by constructing a flyover bridge across the Dangote/ Hitech  concrete pavement so as to  allign with the economic values  of the coastal highway. He stated, "We have chosen another alignment that is going to be parallel to the road that is going to the Lekki Deep Sea port at kilometer 47. And that's the end of section one of phase one. And so we are very happy with that decision. We use a flyover to fly over the Dangote HiTech road that is coming from Lekki Deep Sea port going to Epe and joining the road that is going from Lekki Deep Sea  to Lagos being done by the State Government." He commended  Hitech Construction Nigeria Limited  for the quality  and speed of the job and hoped that with their capacity and track records, and the manifest political will of Mr. President, the 700 km project would be completed within the  8 years of the Renewed Hope administration of  Mr. President, noting  that the coastal  highway  project  will connect  the entire country  through  the spurs going  to the North by  both North East and  North West as well as  North Central. He said, "We are very, very excited with the quality of work they are doing, with the speed of work. It gives us the confidence that this Coastal road will be constructed within the two times tenure of Mr. President." He further  stated, "We also have another spur that is going to go from Enugu-Abakaliki-Ogoja going to Cameroon. And so we have that spur. It's about 361 kilometers going through Otukpo to Benue,  Nasarawa, and ends up at Apo in Abuja. We are also going to be presenting it to Mr. President. When this is done, then the coastal road, like we promised, is going to circle the entire country." On the much media hyped  report  on the impact of the demolition  exercise  along the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway  section 1, phase 1 as it affects the Landmark  investment, the Honourable Minister made it clear that  the Landmark  properties were intact and that the owner of the investment has no title  to the 250 meters  shoreline which is  the right of way  belonging the Federal Government. He said, "We are looking at the feelings of the people, and we're looking at economic values by making sure that, as much as possible, we follow the coast and also follow the right of way that is legally within the right of way of the Federal Government. This is not to say that for the interest of the nation and in line with our laws that lands cannot be acquired in the overall interest of the public."   ...