Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i is seekin the intervention of Senate in the reconstruction of the 40-year-old Kaduna/Jos road to ease the plight of travellers.
He made the appeal when the Senate Committee on Works visited on its oversight functions.
El-Rufai said the road is in various states of disrepair and requires much attention.
He said: “We are told it is in the budget this year. We urge the Senate committee to get a credible contractor to work on that road because it is a very important one which connects the rest of Nigeria to Jos and bursts out to the Northeast.”
The governor noted that with an annual budget of N169 billion for federal highways, alternative sources of funding must be sought to enable the Federal Government meet its commitments.
“This is to ensure that the over 500 federal highways are not only motorable, but in the state of highest quality. We will continue to engage with your committee to look for ways and means of ensuring that Nigeria has 21st century infrastructure, which includes having the best highways possible,” he added.
El-Rufa’i also urged the committee to intervene at accelerating the Birnin Gwari/Dan Sadau road which links Kaduna, Zamfara and Katsina States.
Chairman of the Committee Senator Adamu Aliero said the visit was part of the committee’s constitutional responsibility of oversight functions of the Ministry of Works and Housing.
He hinted that there were about 522 roads across the country managed by the ministry.
“Of these, I can assure you that if we go by funding from budgeting, it will take us between 15 and 20 years before completing them,” he said.
Aliero said the rehabilitation of some of the roads including, the Abuja/Kaduna/Zaria/Kano road, was because of the importance attached to them.
“The Federal Government takes this road seriously, and it is enjoying funding from three sources – the annual budget, Sovereign Wealth Fund and the Abacha Loot,” he added.