The Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Muhammad Bello Goronyo, Esq., on Thursday inspected the ongoing reconstruction and expansion of the 43.65-kilometre Mararaba-Keffi Road, directing the contractor to fast-track delivery to ease the suffering of commuters.
The busy route, which links the Federal Capital Territory with Nasarawa State, has become notorious for daily traffic jams, trapping thousands of civil servants and residents who commute to Abuja for work. Goronyo said the situation was “unacceptable” and urged the contractor to utilise the government’s approval for night-time construction.
“This project is of national importance. The volume of traffic here is massive, and many public servants are suffering,” the Minister told journalists during the inspection. “The government is fully supportive, but the contractor must rise to the occasion. You have approval to work at night, please use it to meet the delivery schedule.”
The project is being executed by China Harbour Engineering Company Nigeria Limited under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, an initiative that allows private firms to invest in road construction in exchange for tax reliefs.
Responding, Mr. Dong Hong, the Project Manager for China Harbour, assured the public that the work would be completed on schedule.
“We understand the importance of this road and the urgency to ease traffic for the people. Our team is fully mobilised, and we are committed to delivering quality work on time,” he said.
The Federal Ministry of Works stressed that the road upgrade aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises critical infrastructure projects across the country. It pledged strict monitoring to ensure timely and quality completion.
