By Hussaina Yakubu
Gov. Uba Sani of Kaduna State has directed the immediate acceleration and completion of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Western Bypass following a spate of fatal accidents along the corridor.
The directive followed an emergency stakeholders’ meeting convened by the governor to address rising safety concerns on the 21.5 kilometre expressway linking Command Junction to Mando Roundabout.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, disclosed this while briefing newsmen after the meeting in Kaduna.
He said the governor was deeply disturbed by the recurring loss of lives on the highway, describing the situation as unacceptable.
“His Excellency is profoundly concerned about the tragic incidents recorded on this road. No level of progress can justify the loss of lives. Urgent and decisive action has become imperative,” Maiyaki said.
He added that the meeting brought together key stakeholders, including officials of the Federal Ministry of Works, the Federal Road Safety Corps, Kaduna State Traffic Law Enforcement Authority (KASTELEA), contractors, and transport unions.
According to him, the project, awarded in 2021, recorded slow progress until the governor’s intervention, which has since improved the pace of work.
Maiyaki, however, noted that despite the progress, the governor had insisted on an earlier completion date ahead of the initial December 2026 deadline.
“The government has made it clear that the project must be delivered ahead of schedule. Further delays will not be tolerated,” he said.
He said about 19 kilometres of the road had been completed, based on updates from the Federal Controller of Highways and contractors handling the project.
The commissioner also announced the constitution of a multi-agency task force to monitor construction progress and enforce safety compliance on the road.
He said the task force, chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Works, would include representatives of relevant agencies, contractors, community leaders and transport unions.
Maiyaki said the Ministry of Information had also been mandated to intensify public enlightenment campaigns to promote safer road use.
He identified unsafe road practices as a major cause of accidents along the bypass, noting that several high-risk crossing points had been mapped out for intervention.
“Beyond infrastructure, human behaviour remains a major concern. We are working with communities to ensure safer road use and reduce recklessness,” he said.
The commissioner reiterated the state government’s commitment to ensuring that the road meets global safety standards in both construction and usage.
He said the move followed concerns raised by community leaders and groups who described the situation as a public safety emergency.
