Work has since resumed on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road project as Nigeria’s leading engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, remobilised to site on June 19, 2024, recommencing asphalt installation.
The construction giant had shut down work on the project last year when it issued a force majeure over security and other considerations, including inadequate funding.
Speaking at the site amid laying of asphalt on the KM 163 of Section 1 of the Abuja-Kaduna Highway, Goringora, on Thursday, the Site Manager, Mike Andrae, said, “We remobilised to the site since mid-June.”
He reassured Nigerians of the company’s determination to deliver the federal infrastructure as early as possible, saying, “We remain partners in progress with our client, the federal government and the operational communities, and indeed the country as a whole.”
Andrae said there would be no lowering of standard in the reconstruction of the ever-busy road, adding that the globally acclaimed Julius Berger professional work would be brought to bear on the site just as in everywhere the company works.
On the process of remobilising to site, Andrae said it was completed since June 19, 2024 with the mobilisation of staff and equipment as well as heating up of bitumen. As for the Asphalt Binder Course, he disclosed that it started in CW26 on June 28, 2024.
On Thursday, it was observed that workers on site were engaged in their various roles to further the overall work specifications on the iron rollers machines, tyre roller machines and the paver machine all on KM 163. The laying of asphalt went on smoothly as well.
At the Km 130 Site Office, the same scenario played out as workers were seen going about their respective duties. In the bitumen and asphalt testing and clearing laboratories, activities went on as assigned staff were observed testing samples of asphalt and bitumen.
A community leader in the Goringora axis of the road, Mallam Isa Birnin-Kudu, who was obviously a cheerleader in a group of excited residents of the area loudly, thanked Julius Berger for remobilising to site.
“We lost hope when there was no work going on on this road, but we knew there must have been something wrong. We thank God that the mighty Julius Berger is back,” he said through an interpreter.
There was, however, palpable apprehension among the workers as they recalled the July 2, 2024 incident at Chainage 134, around Alheri Prayer Camp Village, along Kaduna-Abuja Expressway, Kaduna State, approximately 1.3 KM away from the express road, by the western part, close to Olam Farms by 5 KM.
A security operative in the area said there was a heavy exchange of gunshots on that day between some suspected bandits and the Nigerian Army leading to loss of lives.
The security operative said for a thorough and successful job on the Abuja-Kaduna Road, the government needed to ensure the safety of the contractor, adding that drastic reduction in banditry and, consequently, safety and security of travellers on the road depended so much on the completion of the road with no more potholes requiring vehicles to slow down on the road.
