Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, yesterday conducted an on-site inspection of the ongoing reconstruction and expansion works on the 43.65-kilometre Mararaba-Keffi Road, a critical infrastructure upgrade under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.

Executed by China Harbour Engineering Company Nigeria Limited, the minister, during the inspection, expressed serious concern over the pace of work and the persistent traffic congestion along the corridor, which serves as a vital link between the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Nasarawa state.

He noted that the daily gridlock severely affects thousands of commuters, particularly civil servants residing along the axis, many of whom struggle to arrive at work on time, a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations Department, Mohammed Ahmed, said.

Goronyo emphasised the urgency of expediting the construction timeline, reminding the contractor that the federal government had granted permission for night-time construction activities to ensure faster delivery and to mitigate the hardship faced by road users.

“This project is of national importance. The volume of traffic here is massive, and many public servants are suffering. The government is fully supportive of this project, but the contractor must rise to the occasion. You have approval to work at night — please utilise it to meet the delivery schedule,” the minister stated.

In response, the Project Manager,  Mr. Dong Hong, representing China Harbour Engineering Company Nigeria Limited, assured the minister and the Nigerian public that the project remains on track and will be completed within the agreed timeline.

“We understand the importance of this road and the urgency to ease traffic for the people. Our team is fully mobilised, and we are committed to delivering quality work on time,” said  Hong.

The Mararaba-Keffi road project forms part of the federal government’s efforts to address critical infrastructure needs through innovative financing mechanisms such as the Tax Credit Scheme, which allows private sector partners to invest in public road projects in exchange for tax reliefs.

The Federal Ministry of Works said it remains committed to ensuring that all ongoing infrastructure projects are delivered efficiently, timely, and to the highest standards, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s infrastructure agenda.

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