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The Digest:

Residents of Lafia Local Government Area in Nasarawa State are grappling with the abandonment of the six-kilometre Lafia–Agyaragun–Tofa road, contracted in 2018 at a cost of N865.7 million but left incomplete eight years later. The project, first announced in 2017, has frustrated communities struggling to access markets, schools, and healthcare. Iliya Musa, a resident of Agyaragun, has taken to manually filling potholes with sand assisted by his seven-year-old son to help commuters. Budget records show N320 million was allocated in 2016-2017, but the contract was awarded in 2018 for N865.7 million to Certified Engineering Ltd. The last payment of N155.8 million was made in 2020, yet the project remains abandoned. The contractor's company is listed as inactive on the CAC database, and its Kaduna headquarters could not be located. Residents have repeatedly petitioned Governor Abdullahi Sule, with assurances that the project will be included in the 2026 budget.

Key Points
  • N865m road project awarded in 2018 remains abandoned, eight years later.
  • Resident Iliya Musa manually fills potholes with son to help commuters.
  • Budget discrepancies: N320m allocated 2016-17, contract signed N865.7m 2018.
  • Contractor Certified Engineering Ltd inactive on CAC database; office not found.
  • Government promises project in 2026 budget; residents skeptical.

In Nasarawa, a road to nowhere and a man with a shovel, Iliya Musa fills potholes while millions vanish, leaving communities waiting for a road that may never come.

Sources: Premium Times