Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola says the ultimate purpose for the expansion of the Abuja- Keffi Expressway is to ultimately reduce traffic congestion and travel hours for commuters.
Fashola disclosed this at a one-day inspection of the expansion of the Abuja-Keffi, Agwanga- Makurdi Expressway on Tuesday in Abuja.
“The road will be built to international standrd; It will be built to the quality of roads in other parts of the world it will be a road where you will love to commute,
“Ultimately the purpose is to make life better for those who use that axis to reduce the travel time and congestion around there.
“That is essentially what we hope to achieve and believe you will see when it is all done that will make all the sacrifice worth while.” Fashola said.
He said the residents of Mararaba -Nyanya would soon see that all the sacrifices they had to endure would be worth the while.
The Abuja-Keffi Expressway is 5.4 Kilometre and is at 45.8 per cent completion.
Also inspected is the over 260 kilometre Keffi -Akwanga -Lafia-Makudi highway project.
“We flagged off the construction of the Akwanga to Makurdi Highway about two years ago and it is one of the roads been funded with the China Exim load .
“For those who have issues about borrowing, they can come and see what the borrowing is been used for. All of the people who are working here would probably not have this job without that borrowing .
“We have a lot to do, but we don’t have enough to do them at the same time. So this is part of the dualisation project construction of a brand new highway to complement the existing one.
“On the reconstruction of the existing one, you will also see the diversions, this is how we build; we can’t close up the road; we can’t construct almost 300 kilometre of highway at once, so we do it in sections,” he said.
Speaking on the project time line, Fashola said the project is to be completed within three years.
“It is for three years; we have done two years and there is no challenges of any significance to the funding.
“The counterpart side of it is still a matter for budget so if we don’t put our part we won’t get the 85 per cent.
“But that is not the conversation of the moment, it is the real life situation when you design a road and there are challenges .
“You want to pass through peoples land, you have to meet them, you have to agree with them, you have to explain to them; these are all the governance protocol around the world about funding international projects.
The Minister said all these has to be taken into consideration otherwise the civil society organisations would see the government as not treating its citizens properly.
On the importance of the highway, Fashola said it was very critical and strategic highway for linking the north Central to the North East and from there to other parts of the country.
The News Agency of Nogeria (NAN) reports that the two roads under inspection are funded by the China Exim loan and is to be completed within three years. (NAN)