Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the sum of N19.352 billion for road projects in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Oyo and Kano states.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola said this while briefing State House correspondents at the meeting at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa Abuja.
The minister said that two memoranda and one report from his ministry were presented to the council and they were approved.
According to him, “the first memorandum was to approve the change of rates with respect to Efon-Elaaye, Erimo-Iwaraja linking Ekiti and Osun states. That road was awarded in 2009, the contractor had achieved about five percent of the work, so we are trying to complete that road.
“It has been slowed down by previous years of insufficient budget and during that period, the price at which it was awarded and today’s material prices have altered significantly – cement, iron rod, labour, diesel, petrol and all of that. So he is asking for a revision which has been approved.
“We have also extended completion period for him by six months; so we are hoping that this is one of the roads that will be completed in the new year. I think with the news of this approval, he will have comfort now to go back and work. The review is N523. 826 million.
“The second memorandum we presented was for the award of three roads in Igboho-Oloko-Agbonle in Oyo State and Gulu to Yaba town between the Federal Capital Territory and Niger State as well as Sharada to Maidobi and Danbaure in Kano State.
“Council approved these roads for N7.249 billion for the first one in Oyo, N7.593 for the second one in Niger/FCT and N4.510 for the third one in Kano.”
The Works Minister said he also intimated the council on the number of roads done so far across all states of the federation, saying 524 roads are currently undergoing rehabilitation. He said 43 internal roads were being constructed in the nation’s universities, out of which 10 had been completed
He said: “The last report is really an update to Council on the status of work on the roads across the states and there are two broad categories here.
“There are 524 road projects across the routes A1 to A9 and to apprise Council on what is going on those projects, how much the contract prices are, the outstanding amount that needs to be paid to contractors for certificates and how much we expect to spend next year as part of the report of our ministry to FEC about what progress we are making, what challenges we are facing and what needs to be done.
“That report also includes the work being done on internal roads in 43 universities and federal institutions across Nigeria. We have finished, I think 10; then, 33 are at different stages of completion. These include work done on repair and maintenance of bridges like Tatabu, Tamburawa, Isaac Boro, Eko bridge, Third Mainland bridge, Independence bridge etc as part of infrastructure epair and upgrade.
“They also include updates on the performance of projects being funded under the infrastructure, tax credit scheme approved as Order Seven by Mr. President. Those are projects like Apapa – Oworosoki express way, the Boro Bonny bridge.
“It also includes the projects that are funded by multilateral loans under the China EXIM bank like the Akwanga Keffi highway. They cover works that are being done in road signage, job creation.”