Hina Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Nigeria Limited has successfully completed the expansion of the 5.4km Abuja-Keffi expressway and the dualisation of the 220km Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi road projects.
The construction company has announced that the roads are now under a concessionary phase of maintenance that will last 25 years.
The Project Manager, Li Qiang Qiang, made this announcement during a tour of the roads in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
He explained that the $42,144,047.29 project, co-funded by the Federal Government and the China Export and Import (EXIM) Bank Limited, was divided into phases to ease implementation. Phase I involved the dualisation of the Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi road, while Phase II includes the dualisation of the Makurdi-Otukpo-Obollo-Afor-Enugu road.
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CHEC Nigeria Limited has already commenced work on Phase II, with contractors and equipment mobilised to the site.
Qiang highlighted the challenges faced during the construction phase, including the global shutdown due to Covid-19 in 2019, land acquisition and right of way issues, and the relocation of power lines and water pipes. Despite these challenges, the project was delivered within the contractual time frame of four years.
He expressed satisfaction with the project’s completion, noting the significant improvement in travel time from Abuja to Makurdi, which now takes just about four and a half hours, compared to over nine hours previously. Qiang emphasized the quality of the road and its positive impact on business activities along the road corridor.
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Under the concessionary phase of maintenance, CHEC will be responsible for maintaining the road infrastructure for the next twenty-five years.
Commuters have commended CHEC for the project, noting its positive impact on transport businesses and economic activities in the region.
