Abuja: The Federal Government has announced a budget of N73.9 billion for the completion of the reconstruction and expansion of the Maraba-Keffi road project. The project, awarded to MS. China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Nigeria Limited, is slated for completion by June 2026, as revealed by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, during an inspection of the ongoing expansion of the Abuja-Keffi expressway.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Goronyo praised President Bola Tinubu for his commitment to the project, noting that its completion would significantly alleviate transportation issues along the corridor. “This road is very critical because it is crisscrossing a lot of states,” Goronyo stated, highlighting the progress made from Keffi to Makurdi and the ongoing work from Mararaba to Keffi. He added that the stretch from Makurdi to Enugu is also underway, with achievable progress reported by the contractor.
Goronyo emphasized that the government has facilitated a corridor for the movement of goods and services, resulting in reduced travel time and economic benefits. He noted that the project, awarded in June 2023 with a 30-month completion period, had reached 42 percent completion since work commenced in December of the previous year.
The Minister also mentioned that the ministry is awaiting a certificate from the contractor to release additional funds for the project. Plans are underway to expand the lanes for the benefit of Nigerians, aiming to enhance the road’s capacity.
Mr. Ronald Liao, CHEC Commercial Manager, spoke on behalf of the contractor, stating that the road is expected to achieve a 56 percent completion benchmark by the end of the month. Liao pointed out the challenges posed by heavy traffic from Masaka to Mararaba, necessitating night work to maintain progress. He expressed confidence in completing the project on schedule with support from the ministry, the controller, and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
