By Sunday Ameh
The Federal Government on Tuesday flagged off the reconstruction of the 122.89-kilometre Kaduna (Mando)-Birnin Gwari Road in Kaduna State, a project valued at N178.116 billion.
The project is expected to improve transportation, strengthen security, boost agricultural activities and enhance regional trade along one of Nigeria’s most strategic road corridors.
President Bola Tinubu, represented by the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, at the groundbreaking ceremony, said the reconstruction fulfilled a campaign promise made before the 2023 general elections and reflected his administration’s commitment to delivering critical infrastructure nationwide.
The road, stretching from Mando near the Kaduna International Airport to the Niger State boundary, is expected to reconnect communities affected by years of insecurity and poor road conditions while serving as one of the shortest routes linking Northern Nigeria with Lagos and other South-West states.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, described the project as a major milestone in the Federal Government’s infrastructure renewal programme, noting that it would improve security, reduce transportation costs and unlock the economic potential of the region.
Umahi commended President Tinubu for fulfilling his promise to reconstruct the road and praised Governor Sani for consistently advocating the project due to its strategic importance.
He noted that the road had long been associated with insecurity and bandit attacks but would now be transformed into a key economic corridor connecting Kaduna, Niger, Kwara, Osun, Oyo and Lagos states.
The minister dismissed claims that the Federal Government was focusing only on new road projects, insisting that several abandoned federal highways inherited by the current administration were also undergoing reconstruction across the country.
He cited ongoing rehabilitation works on the Sokoto-Zamfara-Funtua-Zaria Road, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Enugu-Onitsha Road, Makurdi-Ninth Mile Road, Bodo-Bonny Road and the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Highway.
According to Umahi, substantial progress has also been recorded on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Highway, with work continuing on the remaining sections.
He maintained that road infrastructure remained a critical tool for tackling insecurity, lowering transportation costs, promoting agriculture and stimulating economic growth.
Umahi also congratulated the Kaduna State Government on securing approval for the proposed 50-kilometre Kaduna Light Rail project, valued at about $868 million, describing it as another milestone in the state’s transportation development.
He urged Nigerians to embrace constructive engagement with government policies, saying the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms were beginning to yield positive results.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Adeladan Rafiu Olarinre, said the reconstruction formed part of the Federal Government’s nationwide strategy to modernise federal highways, improve connectivity and support economic growth.
The Kaduna (Mando)-Birnin Gwari Road has for years been plagued by deteriorating conditions and insecurity, forcing many motorists to avoid the route. The reconstruction is expected to improve access to farming communities, reduce travel time and strengthen economic activities across the North-West and beyond.
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