Gov Babagana Zulum of Borno on Tuesday launched
the construction of a N16-billion express road and flyover project in Maiduguri, as part of his administration’s ongoing urban renewal programme.
The project comprises a 7.1-kilometre dual carriageway linking the Borno Express Terminus to Molai along Tashan Kano, a six-span bridge over the Ngada-Bul River and a new flyover, the fourth to be constructed in the state.
Zulum, who performed the groundbreaking ceremony at the project site, said 50 per cent of the contract sum, amounting to N8 billion, had already been paid to the contractor.
He explained that “10 months is 10 months. The total contract sum is N16 billion and we have paid 50 per cent of this amount. So, the contractor has no excuse for delaying the project.”
The governor added that the remaining N8 billion has been earmarked and will be disbursed upon reaching agreed project milestones.
Zulum said the new road and flyover would decongest traffic in Maiduguri, improve connectivity to key economic zones, and accommodate the city’s growing population.
He added that “this is not just for beautification. It is to accommodate the increasing population growth in Maiduguri. We must expand the city.”
The Commissioner for Works and Housing, Mustapha Gubio, said the six-span bridge would provide critical linkage between the new dual carriageway and surrounding communities across the Ngada-Bul River.
He assured that the ministry would closely monitor the project to ensure strict compliance with specifications and timely delivery.
In a related development, the governor announced plans to execute five additional capital projects, including a new market, an orthopaedic hospital, a general hospital, an international hotel and a western bypass.
Zulum said the projects would be completed before the end of his tenure, alongside all ongoing capital works.
He also addressed the acute water shortage in Maiduguri, attributing it to damage caused by the 2024 flooding, and pledged speedy repairs to the affected water infrastructure.(NAN)
