The FCT Administration has resumed works on stalled major road projects within the Federal Capital City with the intention of completing the 10-Lanes Airport (Umaru Musa Yar'Adua) and Kubwa (Murtala Muhammed) Expressways by the end of December 2016.
Most of these stalled or abandoned road projects today have sound financial plans with adequate appropriation in the 2016 budget with additional impetus from the window of 2017 appropriation plan of the FCT administration which has encouraged Contractors to return and remain on sites.
Some of the sites visited were the locations of the massive on-going construction works for the completion of the Circle road around the Three-Arms-Zone known as B6 and B12 in the Abuja Master Plan, which is the road from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to the Federal Secretariat; and from the Federal Secretariat (Phase II) to the Presidential Villa coming under the bridge linking the stadium which was hitherto abandoned for several years.
The team also visited the Airport and Kubwa Expressways and at the Airport Expressway the two major underpass bridges where the proposed new City Gate is expected to be constructed to serve as another tourists' attraction has almost been completed with the final level of asphalt laid and opened to traffic. This is in addition to the road construction behind Grand Square to Leventis Super store in the Central Business District.
The trumpet interchange at the Airport junction by Bill Clinton Drive is also being completed as efforts are being made to connect the loops (ramps) moving out from Bill Clinton Drive as well as motorists from Gwagwalada-Giri axis into the Airport and the city centre respectively.
Meanwhile all the tangents connecting the city centre, Gwagwalada and environs are completely ready and are currently being used by motorists.
The project sites of the Inner Southern Expressway (ISEX), known as Goodluck Jonathan Expressway from behind the National Christian Centre through the Central Bank of Nigeria, bordering the Central Business District and Garki I to Kaura Districts down to Galadimawa Roundabout (interchange) is witnessing remarkable construction works as the bridge/interchange as well as the carriage ways are being worked on.
In another development, the several knotty potholes in and around the city centre due to the age of the roads are simultaneously being attended to, for instance, those at the ever busy Power House Junction and AYA to Ring Road I (Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway); Shehu Shagari Way by Ring Road I, Ladoke Akintola Boulevard as well as IBB Way by BPE Junction have all being mended.
Speaking after the marathon project inspection, the FCT Director of Engineering Services Department, Engineer Adamu Alfa Abu said that the Airport and Kubwa Expressways would be substantially completed by the end of December 2016 but with all the auxiliary services like street lights and telecommunication ducts would be completed and handed over by the middle of 2017.
The Director stated that the team's visit to the construction sites must have given an insight into the on-going projects that have been abandoned for some time now due to lack of funds in the past.
Engr. Abu remarked that with the efforts of the FCT Administration and the financial plan put in place through the windows of the 2017 budget and even the implementation of the on-going 2016 budget, many contractors have been encouraged and have been working assiduously.
According to him, “This Administration is also working vigorously to complete the on-going works at Tanks 1 and 6 to provide enough portable water to the districts in Phases I-III”.
He revealed that the overhead bridge of the railway crossing before Kubwa where train from Idu moves to Kaduna would be completed by the end of the year.
Engineer Simon Agene of the Earth Moving Department of Julius Berger Nigeria PLC who spoke at the project site near the Bill Clinton Drive assured that the firm is now committed to complete the project by the end of 2016 and handover at least by the first or second quarter of 2017.
Some FCDA site engineers that led the team round the Bill Clinton Drive junction interchange led by Engineer Murtala Greema disclosed that they are always at the site to ensure standard and quality control.
Muhammad Hazat Sule, FCAI
Deputy Director/Chief Press Secretary
- The Scope News Online
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