News Rider

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Committed to transforming the livelihoods of Nigerians, the Federal Government has delivered life-changing roads in Adamawa State. In continuation of its nationwide media tour, the Federal Ministry of Works commissioned Cham-Numan section of the Gombe–Yola Road, which is one of the 2,064 projects inherited from previous the governments.  The road, which is the only artery that connects Gombe State to Adamawa, was rehabilitated in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu to provide world-class infrastructure that will boost development in the country.  Federal Controller of Works for Adamawa State, Engr. Dimas Tuwai described the route as an economic corridor bedeviled by years of neglect.  He explained that issues arising from variations in scope and design necessitated the use of bolders’ fill instead of stone base, leading to an augmentation of the contract sum to about ₦16 billion from its initial ₦9 billion when it w...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja Members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have applauded the Federal Government for the rehabilitation of roads in Bauchi that links to Gombe and Adamawa States.  The roads are among the 260 Emergency/Special Intervention Projects launched at the inception of APC's administration in May 2023, meant to restore critically damaged portions of Federal highways across the country. Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Gombe State Chapter, Comrade Faruk Mu'azu described the rehabilitation as timely and impactful.  "If you can recall vividly, the road was not motorable, but with the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Works, movement is free and without hitches." Mu’azu who commissioned the project on behalf of the Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi, thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the award of contract for the dualisation of the Akwanga–Jos–Bauchi–Gombe road. He emphasised that the expansion of t...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Federal Government has vowed the speedy completion of Maiduguri–Monguno Road (Section I) in Borno State despite security and logistical challenges. During the media tour of the Northeast zone in Maiduguri, the Federal Controller of Works in the state, Engr. Salihu Adamu assured Nigerians that the project will be completed irrespective of persistent security and logistical constraints.  "The biggest challenge faced by the contractor is insecurity. There are pockets of attacks on the highways, and this forced them to take longer and safer routes to source construction materials," he said.  The project was initially awarded in 2018 to QUMECS (Nigeria) Limited at a contract sum of ₦21.73 billion, traversing 105.6 kilometres. Following a technical review and scope adjustment, the project was revised to incorporate a flexible pavement structure with asphaltic concrete shoulders, bringing the current contract sum to ₦28.37 billion to reflect pre...

The police have opened up on the intricacies surrounding the Wednesday bomb explosion at Bayelsa State Secretariat Complex in Yenagoa.  Findings indicated that the explosion, which occurred at about 6:00am, prompted swift action from security operatives to prevent colossal damage.  An eye witness revealed that the Bayelsa State Government ordered a temporary four-hour suspension of activities at the secretariat.  Also, the Head of Service, Dr Wisdom Ebiye Sawyer directed the civil servants to keep away from the scene pending the completion of security checks.  Though the area was cordoned off immediately after the explosion, activities gradually returned to the area after police inspection.  But in a statement, the Command Spokesperson, Musa Mohammed said that operatives of the Explosive Ordinance Unit were able to contain the explosion and recovered one other unexploded device. The statement reads: "The Bayelsa State Police Command wish to inform th...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Federal Ministry of Works has disclosed that the rehabilitation of Section l, Potiskum–Jakusko–Gashua road in Yobe State will be ready by second quarter of the year.  Pegged at ₦75.47 billion, the project was awarded to Messrs JRB Construction Limited in 2024, with a scheduled completion date of 14 May, 2026.  This was even as the ministry assured the people of Yobe of the timely completion of key Federal road projects under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. At the commissioning of emergency/special intervention projects, the Federal Controller of Works (FCW), Yobe State, Engr. Nasir Dauda said that the interventions will restore failed roads, improve access, and support economic and social activities. The project, which covers 79.4 kilometres, is constructed on Continuous Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP).  Dauda explained that work commenced from Chainage 49, identified as the most critical section of the roa...

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja The Federal Government has revived strategic roads linking to communities in Bauchi State, with the aim of curbing flooding, erosion and other environmental crisis.  Minister of Works, Engr. David Nweze Umahi stated this at the Northeast National Media Tour and Commissioning of Emergency/Special Intervention Projects n Bauchi.  It kicked off with a visit to the ongoing rehabilitation of Bauchi–Gombe road, a vital corridor linking Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, and Taraba States.  The 35-kilometre section of the alignment was awarded in 2024 to Messrs Triacta (Nigeria) Limited at a contract sum of N39,999,177,118.59.  Also, the rehabilitation works aim to restore a major transport artery that was marred by frequent accidents and prolonged travel times, as the ongoing project have already reduced road crashes.  As part of its efforts toward the provision of motorable roads to Nigerians, the Federal Ministry of Works commissioned two comp...