China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) Nigeria Limited, a major Chinese construction company, reports that the 220km Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi road project and the 5.4km Abuja-Keffi expressway expansion were successfully finished.
The company attested to the fact that the road is currently under a 25-year concessionary maintenance period.
During a project visit, Wang Jujin, the project manager for CHEC, addressed journalists and stated that Chinese subsidies have led to significant expenditures in railway lines, roads, and bridges throughout Africa.
The development of local enterprises and economies has been stimulated by this infrastructure, which has improved connectivity. This is consistent with the Chinese ideal of constructing a human society with a common destiny.
According to him, the China Harbour Engineering Company CHEC’s completion of the construction and renovation of a significant road artery that passes through the middle belt of Nigeria has provided a vital lifeline to motorists and locals living along the route.
The Nigerian government donated 15% of the funding for the $532 billion road project, which was financed in part by a facility from the Exim Bank of China, which employed 85 people for the facility.
After four years of arduous labor, it is a joyful sight to witness the completion of this road. The scope of the work involved, among other things, clearing and rebuilding the existing road, fixing broken culverts and bridges, enhancing the drainage system already in place, and restoring lighting and traffic safety features.
In addition to speeding up urbanization in the project area, he pointed out that the project’s construction has significantly improved the status of road traffic in the area and increased economic activity from Abuja, the region’s capital, to the surrounding area. According to him, the travel between Abuja and Makurdi used to take at least seven and a half hours, but now it just takes roughly four and a half.
You can start to see how the increased commuter security and travel time would affect the economy. Specifically in the vicinity of Angwan Wire, an accident hot spot in the past, CHEC used its engineering expertise to smooth down all the sharp edges and hazardous bends in the road. We carefully considered every option when realigning and readjusting the route to ensure that drivers would be safe and comfortable. We are rather pleased with our accomplishments.
As a proud partner of CHEC, this project serves as additional evidence of the healthy evolution of the bilateral economic and trade relationship between China and Nigeria. We appreciate the Federal Government of Nigeria entrusting us with this project and providing us with the chance to demonstrate our abilities,” he stated.
China and African countries have strengthened their political and economic relations over the past ten years on the basis of mutual respect and understanding. Together, they have worked hard to establish the Belt and Road Initiative and deeper connections in order to create a China-Africa community with a common destiny.