The House of Representatives has directed its Committee on Works to investigate the abandoned ₦11 billion Numan-Jalingo Road project.
This contract was awarded in 2017, but little progress has been made.
Hon. Sadiq Abbass Tafida, representing Jalingo, Yorro, and Zing Federal Constituency, raised the issue during a plenary session on Wednesday. He reminded the House that the Numan-Jalingo Road is a major federal road connecting the North to the East of Nigeria.
“In 2017, the construction of the road was awarded to DEUX Project Nig. Ltd for ₦11 billion with a completion timeline of 20 months,” Tafida said. “But no progress has been made at the site in seven years.”
He also mentioned that during a site visit, the former Minister of State for Works and Housing, Hon. Mu’azu Sambo, said the government had allocated ₦3 billion to continue the project. However, progress has been very slow for over 30 months, with COVID-19 being blamed for the delay.
The contractor, DEUX Project Nig. Ltd, claimed that ₦1.5 billion had been disbursed, but also cited security challenges as a reason for the lack of progress.
Tafida expressed concern that the road’s poor condition has made it a hub for criminals like bandits, armed robbers, and kidnappers. He urged the government to address the conflicting reasons and ensure that the contractor has the capacity to complete the project.
