Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, has said President Bola Tinubu deserves praise for expanding infrastructure across the country.
Mr Onanuga stated this during an inspection tour of the Makurdi–Otukpo–Obolo-Affor–Enugu dual carriageway by the Renewed Hope Ambassadors Presidential Media Team.
The team led by Mr Onanuga is being conducted round completed and ongoing federal and state infrastructure projects across Benue State.
Speaking to journalists along the corridor, Mr Onanuga described the expressway as a landmark project that would strengthen connectivity, boost commerce and foster national integration.
He stated, “From what we have seen so far, even though we have not even completed this road, it has shortened the travel time between Makurdi and Otukpo. From what I gathered, the road was so bad that from Makurdi to Otukpo it used to take about three hours. But now, just about one and a half hours or so, we are in Otukpo.
“So, this is a commendable project and I think President Bola Tinubu deserves a lot of applause for touching almost every part of Nigeria, giving them one road or bridge or one infrastructure or the other.”
Mr Onanuga added, “This road is linking the North Central and the South East for you. If you are able to link all parts of Nigeria, it shows you that we are improving the connectivity across our states.
“This will no doubt boost, not just passenger traffic, also business as people will be able to move goods across all the borders, all the state borders.”
Speaking on the project, the Federal Controller of Works, Benue State, Mukaila Danladi, said the 258-kilometre dual carriageway had been divided into five sections to facilitate construction.
He explained that the project traverses Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi and Enugu states, forming a strategic transport corridor linking major economic and commercial centres across the regions.
According to the controller, about 178 kilometres of the highway fall within Benue State, while the section under inspection covers 50 kilometres on each carriageway, totalling 100 kilometres.
Mr Danladi said construction had progressed to about 86 kilometres of binder course on both carriageways, describing the achievement as significant in spite of prevailing weather-related challenges.
He attributed the slower pace of work to the rainy season, noting that some earthworks could not be undertaken under unfavourable weather conditions common during construction.
The controller, however, said work had not stopped, with contractors concentrating on hydraulic structures and drainage installations along the alignment pending improved weather conditions.
He reiterated the Federal Government’s assurance that the project would be delivered within the 48-month contract period, with completion expected by December 2027.
Mr Danladi recalled that the highway is the second phase of the Abuja-Akwanga-Nasarawa-Makurdi corridor, extending the dualisation from Makurdi through Otukpo and Obollo-Afor to Enugu.
He said the project is funded through a combination of the China EXIM Bank loan and Federal Government counterpart funding, while China Harbour Engineering Company is executing the works.
The highway is expected to improve road safety, reduce travel time, ease movement of agricultural produce and strengthen trade and economic integration across the affected states.
(NAN)
