The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, on Monday, announced plans by the Federal Government to inaugurate highway guards on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Superhighway to protect the newly reconstructed road infrastructure from vandalism.
Umahi disclosed this in Abuja on Monday while receiving the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who paid him a courtesy visit and decorated him as the Grand Patron of the association.
The minister said the decision to deploy highway guards followed concerns over the deliberate destruction of road infrastructure, particularly the removal of reinforcement rods from concrete sections of the highway.
“We are going to inaugurate the highway guards on Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Super Highway soon,” Umahi said.
He explained that he became concerned after discovering that some individuals were digging into completed concrete sections of the road to remove steel reinforcement rods.
According to him, the level of effort being deployed by vandals to damage public infrastructure could instead be channelled into productive activities.
Umahi said the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano corridor remained one of the major infrastructure projects being delivered under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He disclosed that the project had received significant funding, with the government spending more than N200bn on sections executed by Julius Berger.
According to him, about 118 kilometres of the road have been completed on concrete pavement within 30 months, while work is ongoing on the remaining sections.
He said the Federal Government was targeting completion of the entire stretch by November, adding that solar-powered streetlights would also be installed at intervals along the highway.
The minister further disclosed that more than 80 per cent of the funding for the remaining 164-kilometre section had been paid.
Umahi also urged Nigerian students to take an active interest in national affairs and engage political leaders based on issues and measurable performance rather than sentiments and personality attacks.
He expressed concern that some opposition leaders had abandoned issue-based discourse and were instead “chasing shadows,”.
He urged young Nigerians to examine government policies, projects and economic indicators before taking political positions.
He urged the NANS leadership to use its position to encourage issue-based political discussions among Nigerian youths.
The minister also highlighted several infrastructure projects being undertaken by the Federal Government, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, Enugu-Port Harcourt corridor and other legacy road projects.
He said the administration was also expanding road infrastructure across the country as part of efforts to improve connectivity, stimulate economic activities and create employment opportunities for young Nigerians.
Earlier, the President of the National Association of Nigerian Students(NANS), Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, who named the Minister of Works, Umahi, as the Grand Patron of the association, said the award was in recognition of hard work and commitment to excellence.
The NANS President pointed out that the visit to the minister was aimed at forging partnerships and alliances with the minister to allow the students to tour the legacy projects of the Tinubu administration executed under the leadership of the Minister.
“We are here to recognize hardwork and immeasurable service to humanity. Your landmark achievement in road infrastructure will open up our economy and create jobs for the teeming youths.
“Road infrastructure is particularly significant for our students as it will ease movement to examination venues for students, provide access to educational locations, reduce long hours of various vehicular movements across Nigeria and ensure that timeliness is achieved.
“We have a duty to contribute to the development of this country, and to that extent, we make bold to say that the scale of road projects completed under your leadership is worth recognition, and we look forward to a long partnership that will be in the interest of Nigerians”, he said.
(The Whistler)