By Nkechi Eze
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its determination to deliver quality Federal road projects in Katsina State within approved timelines, assuring residents that ongoing and completed projects are being executed in line with required standards.
The assurance was given on Friday during a national media tour of Federal road projects across the state, organised as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. The tour provided journalists with first-hand insight into the scope, quality and progress of key infrastructure interventions undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Works.
Speaking at project sites, the Federal Controller of Works in Katsina State, Engr. Idris Matinja, disclosed that work is progressing steadily on major road projects, including the Ungwan Iliya Bagudu–Kwantakaran–Tsiga–Bakori Road with the Kadabo bridges in Kafur Local Government Area, as well as the dualisation of the Kano–Katsina Road from the Katsina–Kano State border to the Katsina Steel Rolling Mill Roundabout.
Engr. Matinja explained that the 17-kilometre Ungwan Iliya–Bakori Road project, awarded in February 2025, comprises three bridges and has attained over 11 per cent completion. According to him, significant progress has been recorded on stone base layers and more than four kilometres of lined drainage works. He stressed that quality assurance assessments carried out by the Ministry confirm that the project fully conforms with approved specifications. “Based on our quality assurance assessments, the work being executed fully conforms with the specifications of the Federal Ministry of Works,” he said.
Providing further updates, the Project Manager, Engr. David Omotosho, who represented the contractor, Messrs Halis Matrix Limited, noted that although the project initially faced security challenges along some sections of the corridor, full mobilisation has now been achieved with adequate equipment and skilled personnel on site. He stated that the project has reached about 15.5 per cent completion, with base course works completed on over four kilometres, adding that the contractor is targeting between 40 and 45 per cent completion within the next few months.
Professional bodies present during the inspection, including representatives of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Katsina Branch, led by Engr. Adamu Dahiru, and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), represented by Engr. Abbas Sada, confirmed that the quality of work observed meets established engineering standards. They noted that the projects are being executed with strict adherence to professional ethics and with due consideration for the safety of lives and property within host communities.
Also addressing journalists, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, Hon. Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai, expressed satisfaction with the level of work done and the scale of equipment mobilisation on the sites visited. He urged contractors to sustain the current momentum to ensure the projects are completed on schedule.
In a related development, three completed emergency repair projects along critical sections of the Mararraba–Tashan Boka–Gidan Daudu axis on the Katsina–Mararrabar Kankara Road were commissioned. The projects form part of the 260 emergency road interventions initiated by the Federal Government over a year ago.
Other Special Intervention Projects commissioned include emergency repairs of critical washouts at kilometres 1+775 and 2+736 along the Katsina–Dutsinma–Kankara Road, as well as the reinstatement of washouts and repairs of failed sections along the Katsina–Daura Road.
Hon. Yakasai stated that the interventions reflect President Tinubu’s strong commitment to addressing infrastructure challenges caused by natural disasters and improving the quality of life of communities along major road corridors. He noted that most of the projects were initiated and completed within three months under the current administration.
Speaking on behalf of benefiting communities, Yahaya Usman Maikaulasa and Kabiru Tajuddeen expressed gratitude to the Federal Government, noting that before the interventions, the roads were notorious for frequent accidents and vehicle breakdowns. They said the situation has significantly improved since the repairs were carried out, easing movement and enhancing safety for road users.
