Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State has so far spent ₦8.2 billion on the completion of the Kabala Costain road dualisation project in Kaduna North Local Government Area.
The Managing Director of the Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA), Dr Abdullahi Baba-Ahmed, disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the project site on Thursday in Kaduna.
Baba-Ahmed said the amount covered the settlement of an inherited ₦2.2 billion debt owed to the contractor and a fresh ₦6 billion mobilisation payment to facilitate the project’s completion.
He explained that the project, which was abandoned by the previous administration due to design flaws and funding challenges, was only 35 per cent complete when Sani assumed office in 2023.
“The current administration cleared the outstanding debt and released an additional 50 per cent advance payment to accelerate work.
“Only about 600 meters of the 2.7-kilometre road and one bridge had been completed before the project was abandoned,” he said.
Baba-Ahmed dismissed reports that the project had reached 70 per cent completion under the previous government, describing such claims as “pure misinformation.”
“It’s simple arithmetic 600 meters out of 2.7 kilometres is about 22 per cent.
“The remaining 2.1 kilometres, including a second bridge, are being executed by this administration,” he said.
The managing director added that a new engineering design became necessary after investigations revealed that the initial alignment narrowed the water channel, causing flooding.
“We opted for a redesign that includes a second bridge to improve safety and prevent waterlogging,” Baba-Ahmed said.
The Chief Consultant for the project,Mr Shakirudeen Akinloye, explained that the redesign eliminated a sharp curve after the first bridge and introduced a gentler alignment to ensure smoother traffic flow.
“The initial design had engineering flaws that could have led to accidents
“The revised plan includes two bridges and improved drainage to enhance safety,” he said.
Akinloye said that the Sani administration’s intervention prevented further deterioration of the site and restored the contractor’s confidence.
Similarly, the Project Manager of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Kaduna Office, Mr Henry Zhang, confirmed that the project was stalled in 2022 due to unpaid certificates and difficult soil conditions.
“With the intervention of Sani’s administration, the project has been revived.
“We have received advance payment and resumed full-scale operations,” Zhang said.
The 2.7-kilometre Kabala–Costain dualisation project connects Aliyu Makama Road with Costain Junction and is expected to ease traffic congestion, reduce flooding, and enhance economic activities between Kaduna North and Kaduna South, once completed. (NAN)
