…Onanuga explains why Tinubu deserves applause

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

The Federal Government has set a target of December 2027 for the completion of the strategic Makurdi–Otukpo–Obolo-Affor–9th Mile Enugu dual carriageway.

The Benue State Federal Controller of Works, Eng. Mukaila Danladi, announced the timeline when members of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors inspected the level of work on the road.

Eng. Danladi disclosed that the 258-kilometre dual carriageway had been split into five slots to facilitate early completion.

The controller explained that the work had already reached a significant level of 86 kilometres of binder course on both carriageways despite the prevailing poor weather conditions.

Danladi said, “This highway is the second phase of the Abuja-Akwanga-Nasarawa-Makurdi corridor, extending the dualisation from Makurdi through Otukpo and Obollo-Afor to Enugu.

“The project is funded through a combination of the China EXIM Bank loan and Federal Government counterpart funding, while China Harbour Engineering Company is executing the works,” he said.

The Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, made the point that President Bola Tinubu deserves applause for expanding infrastructure across the country.

Onanuga described the expressway as a landmark project that would strengthen connectivity, boost commerce and foster national integration.

The SA said: “From what we have seen so far, even though we have not completed this road, it has shortened the travel time between Makurdi and Otukpo.

“From what I gathered, the road was so bad that from Makurdi to Otukpo it used to take about three hours. But now, just about one and a half hours or so, we are in Otukpo.

“So, this is a commendable project and I think President Tinubu deserves a lot of applause for touching almost every part of Nigeria, giving them one road or bridge or one infrastructure or the other.

“This road is linking the North Central and the South East. If you are able to link all parts of Nigeria, it shows you that we are improving the connectivity across our states.”

“This will, no doubt, boost not just passenger traffic, also business as people will be able to move goods across all the borders, all the state borders,” Onanuga stated.