BY EVELYN DADU – Following prolonged delays by the previous contractor, Kakatar Engineering Limited, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has re-awarded the 13km Apo–Karshi Road project to a new firm, S.C.C. Nigeria Limited.
Wike announced the new deal on Thursday after inspecting ongoing road projects in Karu, Road N20 in Gishiri, and the Apo–Wassa axis of the Outer Southern Expressway.
Addressing journalists on the action taken, the Minister confirmed that the contract had now been terminated and re-awarded under an emergency arrangement, even as he also announced the award of a new road project linking Kubwa to the Bwari Area Council.
He said, “Let me tell you the truth: we have terminated that contract. It has been re-awarded to S.C.C. If you go there now, you’ll see they have started work. It’s a road so many people are interested in because it will decongest these areas.
“We cannot continue to play politics when it comes to the welfare of the people. That road has been terminated. And the road leading from Kubwa to Bwari has also started, so there will be an alternative route to Bwari. That’s also awarded to S.C.C. So, we can assure you that things are moving very well according to plan”.
According to Wike, the administration will not initiate new projects in 2026, which he described as a political year, stressing that the focus would be on completing ongoing projects, which will be featured in the 2026 budget.
“Next year, what you see in 2025 will be nothing compared to what you’ll see in 2026. And I must tell you the truth: in 2026, we are not likely to start any new projects.
“We want to ensure that the projects we started this year are completed in 2026. Those projects will come under the 2026 budget. Mind you, that year happens to be a political year, so you don’t start projects you may not be able to finish within your tenure. We want to make sure that, by the grace of God, all projects we have started are completed,” the minister added.
Originally, the FCT administration under former Minister and current Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, awarded the Apo–Karshi Road project to Messrs Kakatar Engineering Limited in 2011 at a contract sum of N6.4bn, with a 20-month completion timeline. However, 14 years later, the project remains uncompleted.
Also recalled that in September 2024, the FCT Minister had questioned the contractor’s capacity, blaming the prolonged delay on political interference.
At that time, he promised that his administration would “do everything possible to see that the Apo–Karshi Road is completed. I still have my doubts, but they are insisting that by April, they will have completed this project. It’s a project very dear to us… Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt,” he had said back then.
