The Federal Government has resumed rehabilitation works on the Maiduguri–Monguno road corridor after an eight-year delay caused largely by insecurity in the area.
The Director of Information at the Federal Ministry of Works, Muhammad Ahmad, disclosed this on Wednesday in Maiduguri shortly after an inspection tour of the project and the inauguration ceremony for the Kaga–Gubio road.
Ahmad said the road project, first awarded in 2018, suffered prolonged setbacks due to security challenges, but assured that the Office of the National Security Adviser and the military have now committed to providing adequate protection for contractors on site.
“The project manager has explained that they had security issues all these while. However, as we speak, the NSA and the military are trying to give them cover so that they can work. This issue is not only on this alignment; it is across Northern Nigeria,” Ahmad said.
Speaking on the 105.6-kilometre Monguno–Maiduguri road, the Federal Controller of Works in Borno State, Salisu Adamu, explained that the project was initially awarded to QUMEVS Nigeria Limited on July 3, 2018, at a cost of N21.7 billion.
According to him, the project has since undergone major design and funding reviews, upgrading from flexible pavement with surface-dressed shoulders to asphaltic concrete shoulders, which increased the contract sum to N28.35 billion.
The project is now being funded through the 2025 Appropriation and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited under the Federal Government’s Tax Credit Scheme.
Adamu said only 5.85 kilometres of binder course have been completed so far, while 24.15 kilometres remain outstanding under Phase I, with a certified unpaid amount of N9.54 billion. He added that the project stands at 5.46 per cent completion, with a projected completion date of June 10, 2028.
He identified insecurity, frequent attacks along highways, and the long-distance haulage of construction materials as major challenges, noting that stone-base materials are transported from Shira in Bauchi State, about 450 kilometres away, while laterite is sourced from Ngamdu near Yobe State.
“We are forced to use longer routes to procure materials due to insecurity. This wastes time and resources, and we are compelled to mobilise and demobilise equipment daily for safety,” Adamu said.
He called for special security arrangements involving the Nigerian military and the Borno State Government, as well as additional funding to cover security-related costs. He noted that progress has improved since the project was taken over by NNPC under the Tax Credit Scheme.
On the Kaga–Gubio road project, Adamu described it as a critical intervention linking rural communities and farmers to urban markets, particularly Benisheik town and surrounding cities.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Borno State, Haruna Abdulkareem, who inaugurated the 1.5-kilometre Kaga–Gubio road on behalf of the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, said the project would have a direct impact on the lives of rural dwellers.
He urged the Ministry of Works to strengthen collaboration with the media to ensure transparency and keep the public informed on the use of public funds.
“In this era of tight resources, the public needs to know what their money is being used for. Carrying the media along will help communicate government efforts effectively,” Abdulkareem said.
