The Federal Government is exploring Chinese funding options for the 4th Legacy Road project, aiming to enhance infrastructure development.
On Thursday, it was announced that President Bola Tinubu would be leading a Nigerian delegation to China in order to revitalize funding for the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe road project – known as the fourth legacy road project. The Engineering, Procurement and Construction plus Finance (EPC+F) model is set to be utilized during this process.
During his working tour of road projects in the North West and North East zones, Minister of Works David Umahi indicated that he discussed this matter during a visit to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.
The Minister toured flood-affected sites on the Kano-Maiduguri Road, including Section 3’s Buskuri town washout location and Sabon Gari village in Section 2. The flooded region of Yana-Shiva-Azare road, Bauchi-Gombe bridge, and Ningi-Babaldu washout were also visited during the tour.
Triacta Nig Ltd was tasked with constructing the Bauchi-Gombe road, which the Minister officially initiated.
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The minister conveyed to the governor through his media special adviser, Uchenna Orji that as a component of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope administration’s economic stimulus strategies, the Federal Ministry of Works created a road infrastructure project known as Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi-Gombe Road. It is referred to as the fourth legacy initiative under this program and passes across various North East states.
The governor was briefed by him that the project would not be abandoned, as the financing mechanism had been prioritized by their government.
Umahi highlighted how vital the four Renewed Hope legacy projects are, explaining that they benefit not only from their strategic location allowing for easy access to all six Geo-Political Zones but also due to a well-thought-out architectural master plan. This plan will lead to economic stimulation in areas such as agriculture, job creation, regional integration, tourism and transportation ecosystems and industrialization throughout the nation.
According to him, the President is resolved in guaranteeing funding for legacy projects by implementing various intervention mechanisms.
The reason for our trip to China with the President is because there was an agreement made beforehand. Specifically, when this project was listed for funding on EPC + F, it had been understood that the Chinese people would contribute foreign financing towards constructing roads. However, they did not do so right away.
According to him, the President is resurrecting it and we will travel to China shortly. He expressed a high level of confidence that we’ll secure funding for both construction and dualization of this road.
The Minister offered reassurance to road users affected by flood-related setbacks, acknowledging their hardships and ensuring prompt intervention would be implemented for the State’s inhabitants and those who traverse its roads.
“I would like to express my deep gratitude and clarify that neither President Tinubu nor I were responsible for the inadequate road distribution. However, our esteemed President is actively working towards resolving this issue through his fourth legacy project, which spans from Akwanga to Jos in Bauchi State. It fills me with great joy to witness your progressive and critical intervention on a significant portion of roads within your state.”
Governor Mohammed expressed his appreciation towards President Tinubu for taking quick action to address the State’s road damages, which were brought to light during the Minister’s visit.
During this challenging time, he conveyed gratitude from both the Emirate Council and State government to the Federal Government for their exceptional proactiveness and responsiveness.
