FCTA embarks on massive completion of road projects in Abuja
NAN-H-77
Roads
By Kabir Muhammad
Abuja, Nov. 2, 2016 (NAN) The FCT Director of Engineering Services Department, Malam Adamu Abu, has assured the administration’s determination to complete all abandoned road projects.
Abu said this when touring the 10-Lane Airport (Umaru Musa Yar’Adua) and Kubwa (Murtala Muhammed) Expressways on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said that the two expressways would be substantially completed by the end of December.
“But auxiliary services like street lights and telecommunication ducts would be completed and handed over by the middle of 2017,’’ he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the FCT Administration has resumed works on stalled major road projects within the Federal Capital City with the intention of completing them.
“Most of these stalled or abandoned road projects today have been captured in the 2016 budget.
“This is with additional impetus from the window of 2017 appropriation plan of the FCT Administration which has encouraged contractors to return and remain on sites,’’ he said.
The director said 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.
Abu noted that with the efforts of the administration and the financial plan put in place through the windows of the 2017 budget, many contractors have been encouraged and have been working assiduously.
“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.
“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,’’ he said.
An engineer with Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, Mr Simon Agene, 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 Mr Murtala Greema, disclosed that they are always at the site to ensure standard and quality control.
NAN also reports that 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.
The road is 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.
Also visited was the road from the Federal Secretariat (Phase II) to the Presidential Villa coming under the bridge linking the Stadium which was hitherto abandoned for several years.
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.
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.
Just 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 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.
In a related development, the several knotty potholes in and around the city centre due to the age of the roads are simultaneously being attended to.
Such roads include those at the ever busy Power House Junction and AYA to Ring Road I (Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway).
Others are Shehu Shagari Way by Ring Road I, Ladoke Akintola Boulevard as well as IBB Way by BPE Junction have all being mended. (NAN)
KM/AK/MST
Edited by Akin Makanjuola/Muhammad Suleiman Tola