By Daniel Tyokua
The Federal Government has approved the immediate release of ₦111 billion as mobilisation for the commencement of Section One of the fourth legacy highway Project, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, has announced.
Umahi disclosed this while handing over the project site to the contractor, CGCOC-CGC Joint Venture at Akwanga in Nasarawa state, on Wednesday, saying the Minister of Finance had commenced the payment process following President Bola Tinubu’s approval.
He directed the contractor to begin work immediately, expressing confidence that the project would be completed successfully.
According to the minister, the Fourth Legacy Highway is part of President Tinubu’s plan to connect the country’s six geopolitical zones through a network of strategic highways designed to boost economic growth, trade and national integration.
He explained that the 700-kilometre highway will begin from Akwanga in Nasarawa State, pass through Kaduna, Jos, Bauchi and Gombe, and extend through southern Yobe to Biu and Maiduguri in Borno State.
Umahi said the project complements three other legacy highway projects currently under construction, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway.
“The four legacy projects are interconnected and will link virtually every region of the country, opening up economic opportunities and reducing travel time,” he said.
The minister said the Federal Government would provide about 30 per cent of the funding for the projects, while the remaining 70 per cent would come from foreign financing. He urged contractors with access to international funding to participate in future phases.
Umahi also reaffirmed the ministry’s adoption of reinforced concrete pavement technology for major federal highways, saying it is more durable than asphalt, particularly on heavily trafficked roads.
According to him, several asphalt roads constructed in recent years had deteriorated prematurely, resulting in costly reconstruction.
He added that the Tinubu administration was committed to building highways that would stand the test of time, with reinforced concrete now adopted as the standard for major federal road projects.
Highlighting ongoing infrastructure investments, Umahi disclosed that the 255-kilometre Keffi-Makurdi dual carriageway, valued at about 750 million dollars, had been completed under the Tinubu administration.
He added that the 260-kilometre Makurdi-Ninth Mile Road, including a flyover in Makurdi, is under construction at a cost of about 995 million dollars. He also said work was progressing on other strategic highways, including the Abuja-Lokoja, Suleja-Minna and Abuja-Kaduna-Kano corridors.
Umahi called on state governments to publicise the impact of ongoing federal infrastructure projects in their respective states, stressing that road development remains critical to economic growth and national prosperity.
He maintained that President Tinubu’s infrastructure programme would significantly improve connectivity and drive economic development across the country.
