The federal government has given an assurance that the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano expressway will be delivered in 2023.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, gave the assurance Thursday during the special weekly briefing organised by the presidential Communications Team at the state house, Abuja.
The briefing was to enable him provide further updates on key collaborations between the federal government and the state governments in the implementation of some of the major reforms being executed by the ministry and the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF).
Fashola said Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the Second Niger Bridge were on course to be completed this year, while the main carriageway of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway was scheduled for completion by Q2 2023, adding that ancillary works would be completed later.
He said the Second Niger Bridge, which was billed for completion last month but was delayed due to the COVID-19 lockdown and EndSARS protest, was 91 per cent.
“On the Second Niger Bridge, one of the challenges we are facing on the Anambra side of the project is the stay at home order on Mondays and every day we don’t work there is time lost,” the minister said.
Fashola put the money so far spent on the three projects at N1.3trn.
He gave the breakdown as Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway (375km)-N797b illion, Second Niger Bridge (11.59km)-N206 billion and Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (127km)-N310 billion.
The minister said the three projects were chosen based on President Buhari’s priority.
He added that thousands of jobs had been created through the execution of the three projects, as he highlighted the economic benefits of the three.
