By Abdulmumin Murtala – Kano

Kano Executive Council has given approval for the completion of the multi-million naira long abandoned Janguza-Durum-Kabo-Karaye Road awarded in 2010.

Contract for the road project, which was initially awarded by the administration of Senator Ibrahim Shekarau at the cost of N3, 424, 010, 877.00 billion had to be reviewed to N7, 020, 139, 700.55 billion, based on the scope of work from two coat layer surface dressing to asphaltic concrete wearing course.

The state commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba disclosed this while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the weekly council meeting held at the Africa House, Government House, Kano recently.

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“While the contractor accepted the new price and re-mobilized to site and works progress, the ministry of Works and Infrastructure noted the financial constraint of the state, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic effects on the global economy and re-scope the project from asphaltic concrete surfacing back to two-coat surface dressing and therefore re-scoped the project and put it at the sum of N5, 605, 424, 417.44 billion.

“The council, however, rejected the proposed downward review of project cost which reflected a reduction of over two billion naira in order to allow for the execution of quality job and also to take care of the prevailing escalation in the prices of construction materials.

“The project would be jointly finance between the state government and benefitting local government councils of Kabo, Karaye and Rimin Gado on 50-50 bases contribution” the commissioner stated.

Malam Garba also announced the council’s ratification of approval for the award of contract for the construction of Ganduje-Landigel-Jalli Road at the cost of N863, 148, 176.40 million.

Another approval, he said, include the sum of N89, 952, 927.65 million for the provision of facial recognition system at both domestic and international wings of Malam Aminu Kano International Airport as part of effort to strengthen security and contend with the global best practices on counter terrorism and detection on highly profiled criminal on watch list.

Vanguard News Nigeria