The Federal Ministry of Works has said that it has awarded the construction/rehabilitation of Abuja-Keffi Expressway to a company it identified as Messrs China Harbour Engineering Co. Nigeria Limited.
This came after a human rights lawyer, Vincent Adodo, in a letter to the ministry threatened to take legal action against the ministry over the terrible state of the road that has made it a death trap for years.
The award of the construction/rehabilitation of the road was communicated to Adodo by the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) in a letter dated December 12, 2024 and signed by its Secretary/Director, Legal Services, Richard Clark, Esq.
SaharaReporters had in October reported that Adodo issued a formal demand to FERMA, calling for the immediate repair of the failed portions of the Abuja-Keffi Expressway.
The lawyer had in September 2022 addressed a letter to the Managing Director of FERMA, demanding urgent repairs of the failed portions of the Abuja Keffi Expressway, especially at the Abacha Road – Nyanya Checkpoint axis.
He had contended that the situation of the dilapidated portions inflicted untold sufferings on commuters.
In October 2022 when the dilapidated situation of the road continued to pose more difficulty to commuters along the Mararaba Nyanya Road, Adodo also in a letter addressed to the FERMA MD called on the agency to repair the failed portions of the road.
In October 2024, the lawyer stressed that FERMA, in line with its statutory mandate, must commence repairs immediately, as the road connects the Federal Capital Territory with Nasarawa State.
He issued a seven-day ultimatum for FERMA to act, warning that failure to do so would result in legal action.
Part of his letter to the FERMA MD in October read, “I am using this opportunity, again, to demand your good office to immediately, in accordance with its statutory mandate, commence the repairs of the road which is a Federal Government Road having connected the Federal Capital Territory and Nasarawa State.
“Kindly take note that in the event of the failure and/or negligence of your agency to heed my demand within a reasonable time of 7 days from the day of receipt of this letter, I will not hesitate to institute legal action against your agency for its dare negligence in the performance of its statutory obligation.”