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Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The Federal Government has explained why reconstruction works on the Gombe-Yola Expressway has been delayed by contractors.
Minister of State in the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMWH), Abubakar Aliyu, said the reconstruction of the 11 kilometers road linking Cham in Gombe and Numan in Adamawa States was delayed because the portion of the savannah swamp area has bad and soft soil,
“We are seriously working on it and the procurement process has gone far and about to be completed. If we want to do politics with it, we would have rushed to complete it and it will later collapse, but we want to deliver a qualitative job for Nigerians”.
The minister who spoke during the media inspection visit to the rehabilitation site revealed that Federal Government was committed to delivering qualitative roads “that will stand the test of time for Nigerians to enjoy the benefit for a long-lasting time”.
Aliyu equally reiterated the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to deliver on the promises made to Nigerians on roads.
“The administration is also showing strong determination to fullfill the promises in other sectors, such as housing, rails, and others”.
He revealed that the increase in the budget of his ministry which has risen from N19 billion to N200 billion is a fact on the commitment of the current administration on providing road infrastructure.
The Federal Controller of Works, Salihu Abubakar also revealed that the frequent farmers-herders clashes are another factor delaying the works on Cham – Numan section of Gombe – Yola.
He explained that the contractor had carried out emergency repair works of critical failed sections of the road under the ember months of the 2019 programme of the Ministry.
He fu“And the weather is favourable and over 4,250 direct and indirect jobs have been created through the project”.
