Niger set to commission N3.98b road projects

The Niger State Government on Monday disclosed that the over N3.9 billion road projects it embarked on within the state capital in Minna will be completed in phases and be commissioned before the end of the year.
The state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development, Alhaji Muazu Bawa, said this while conducting journalists on an inspection tour of the projects executed by the Governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu.
Bawa said projects being executed by the Niger State Government are to be completed in August this year.
According to Bawa: “The N1.4 billion road project from Bahago Roundabout to Maitunbi will open up the state capital, while the Eastern-By Pass road from Maitunbi to Maikunkele town, will cost government N2.58 billion.
“The government is also installing streetlights on the 3.4 kilometre road and the project was upgraded from single lane to a dual carriage way with side walk, adding: “It has asphalt over laid with crushed stone base.”
He said some of the projects that have an initial 24 months completion period will be completed by the end of the year, adding: “The delay in the completion of these roads was as a result of permission sought from the Nigerian Railway Corporation to allow the contractors do an overhead bridge and this took over six months for us (government) to get approval. The 14 kilometre road project will reduce the period motorists will take from Minna to Maikunkele.”
In the mean time, the Niger State Government is assisting the Nigerian Air force Base, Minna in the construction of a bridge and access road to its barracks.
Bawa said the project, which is being handled by the Niger Road Maintenance Agency, will cost N18 million and provide jobs for youths in the state.
According to him: “The project is serving the twin objectives of providing jobs for unemployed youths and giving state owned organization the opportunity to handle government projects under its competitive bidding policy.”
Also, the coordinator of the project inspection and Commissioner of Information, Prof. Mohammed Kuta Yahaya, has said that the exercise is not aimed at rating Ministries, Departments and agencies in the state but to showcase the numerous achievements of the government in the last six years.