Kebbi Gov’t debunks news claiming EFCC, ICPC probe into N7.23bn road projects, use of Substandard Materials
By: John Bassey.
The attention of Kebbi State Government has been drawn to a publication by Sahara Reporters on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, tagged: “Anti-Graft Agencies, EFCC, ICPC Asked To Probe N7.23bn Kebbi Road Project Over Use of Sub Standard Materials.”
The publication was claimed to have emanated from a “civic technology platform, Monitng” but in the actual sense, some faceless persons were behind it.
The said publication was not only a mere fabrication of lies but a calculated attempt to tarnish the good reputation of Gov. Nasir Idris’ administration built over time.
It is pertinent to note that the 6.4 kilometre dualization of Argungu township old bye-pass road is a project awarded to Amirco Engineering at the cost of N7,230,373,515:68.
The so-called group should have done a through investigation with a view to coming out with an authentic findings for the consumption of the general public.
However, the publication kept hammering on one item, irregularity in the construction of culvert, saying instead of using reinforced concrete, the contractor used blocks.
To our greatest dismay, neither the group that claimed to have investigated the contract nor the medium that published the report gave the Kebbi State Government a fair hearing or lay hand to the actual contract specification.
The length of the road is 3,200 metres dual, meaning (3,200×2 = 6,400 metres).
The breakdown and specification of work is as follows:
– Total scarification of carriageway and shoulder
– Redesigning and upgrading of Old Single Carriageway to Dual
– Excavation for side drains and turn-outs where necessary
– Filling to Embankment for carriageway and shoulders
– Provision of Stone Pitching Works at strategic locations
Construction of Block lined drains in both sides of the road
– Construction of Access and Crossing Culverts
– Provision of slabs for vehicular and pedestrian crossings
– Excavation for Culverts and Drains
– Back-filling for Drains and Culvert works
– Provision of Sub-base and base course material
– Provision of MC1 (Bitumen Macadam, Cut-Back)
– Provision of 40mm compacted thickness of Asphalt wearing course
– Surfacing Dressing on Shoulder
– Laying of Kerbs at centre island
– Provision of Interlocking Pavement for Centre Island
– Provision of Road Markings
– Installation of Solar Street Lights in centre island
– Construction of new Roundabout at 3 locations
– Miscellaneous road works.
The Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation, Asphalt Concrete Surfacing Summary of Works is as follows:
Civil works stood at N6,826,542,520:68, Water relocation works is N63,917,995:00 and compensation of structures N339,913,000:00, while the total stood at N7,230,373,515:68.
The inventor of the purported report was not in anyway fair to Kebbi State Government but we believe that the reader will now have a moral guide to be able to do justice to the two reports.
