Julius Berger Nigeria Plc has assured the federal government and all Nigerians who use the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano motorway that Sections 1 and 2 were built using worldwide best practices.
Julius Berger Nigeria Plc’s Executive Director, Administration Alhaji Zubairu Ibrahim Bayi gave the promise at the project commissioning ceremony.
Bayi, who represented the Company’s Managing Director at the project commissioning ceremony, apologised for his absence because he had to be at the 2nd River Niger Bridge ceremony to greet Mr. President.
“The Managing Director has asked me to offer his heartfelt sorrow for his absence at this ceremony owing to pressing circumstances,” Alhaji Bayi said. Our Managing Director, Engr. Dr. Lars Richter expresses his sincerest congratulations to you, Mr. President, and to the wonderful people of Nigeria, especially the commuters who will benefit from this vital route.
“I am humbled to announce to this gathering that this strategic road was executed in accordance with international due diligence and best practise; an established hallmark of the Julius Berger Nigeria Plc engineering construction standard,” Alhaji Bayi said, calling for good infrastructure maintenance. “It is our prayer and hope that the road management and maintenance agencies will put in place the highest maintenance culture with a view to harnessing maximum advantage to justify the government’s investment on this project,” Bayi said.
An obviously thrilled Bayi told the August gathering that Julius Berger Nigeria Plc spent 14 million person-hours into the building and completion of the engineering masterpiece. Still, the company only had 2.8 accidents (1 accident per 2 million hours) on the project.
Bayi closed his address by thanking the Federal Government for trusting Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to deliver the significant project on behalf of the Board of Directors, Executive Management, and personnel. He wished the travelling public and nearby areas safety while the lovely highway is used. “As you use this excellently constructed road, we wish you all the best and ask you to adopt all safety procedures for your protection and that of other beneficiaries,” Bayi advised.
At the colourful occasion, former Kano governor Abdullahi Ganduje said it was terrible to drive the Kano-Zaria axis before the federal government intervened. He said his road trip to the handover was better.
Governor Ganduje stated, “Before the building work, we are all aware of how difficult it was to travel between Kano, Zaria, Kaduna and Abuja. We had several broken autos, cleavage, drainage, and some bridges. Mr. President ordered complete road reconstruction. Today, we commission sections 1 and 2, Kano to Zaria and Zaria to Kaduna, and we are happy because the road is so good. I arrived from Kano this morning and watched the streets with our engineers. We’ve observed that these roads are comparable to any sophisticated country’s.
“I must congratulate the contractors, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, on a job well done,” Ganduje, who was an honourable Commissioner for Works in Kano State before becoming governor, said.
“We do not have enough words to thank you for the infrastructural facilities that you have provided to the people of Kano State,” Ganduje told President Buhari.
At the commissioning, former Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Hon. Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub, said, “…we are all aware of the immense benefits and the significance of this road to the livelihood of not only the people of the bounding States and immediate communities, but to the country at large, because this is the main access that connects all other parts of the country with the northern part.”
The Honourable Minister of State noted that the country’s infrastructure financing problems are well known.
Hence, the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund was created to discover alternative ways to finance infrastructure outside of fiscal allocations (PIDF).
The Federal Government’s three PIDF-funded priority projects include the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road. Muhammadu Buhari and Julius Berger Nigeria Plc deserve credit for this project. “This is basically a testament of a promise made and a promise kept by the administration and of course, a dedication to delivering on its campaign promises for which we are truly extremely grateful to Mr. President,” said Hon. Umar Ibrahim El-Yakub.
President Buhari commissioned the facility via video, hoping the route will alleviate the residents’ years of suffering before the handover. President Buhari said the projects were intentional choices to rebuild Nigeria’s infrastructure.
“This choice has substantially boosted the Nigerian GDP from 20% to 40% hence delivering on the prosperity of citizenry,” he said. The President added that infrastructure debts were related to government assets and investments. President Buhari claimed that the initiatives illustrated his administration’s pledge of transformation and a practical endeavour to address multi-dimensional poverty instead of sorrow.
Alhaji Bayi, Julius Berger’s Executive Director Administration, led the Managing Director’s delegation.
Alhaji Abdulaziz Kaita, AKR Project Director, Engr. Benjamin Bott, AKR Project Commercial Manager; Ralf Brendicke, Site Commercial Manager Sections 1, 2 & 3; Mr. Fabian Schneider, AKR Technical Project Manager; Mr. Finn Drosdowski, Engr. Yusuf Ibrahim, Engr. Gimba Abubakar, Mr. James Agama, and Olivia Uzoma were also in the delegation.
