Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved two memorandums for the award of contract of three major roads in Oyo, Niger and Kano states.
The Minister of Works and Housing, Raji Fashola, while briefing State House correspondents yesterday after the FEC meeting, put the total cost of the roads at N19.352 billion.
Fashola said the contracts were awarded for the construction of Igbo Oloko Agbole road in Oyo; Gulu town to Yaba town between FCT and Niger State; and Sharada to Madobi and Dambori in Kano State.
He said the Council approved the roads for N7. 249 billion for the first one in Oyo; N7. 593 billion for the second one in Niger; and N4. 510 billion for the third one in Kano.
He said the Ministry of Works and Housing also presented a memorandum, which was approved to change the 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 per cent of the works; 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,” Fashola said.
He put the reviewed approval of the cost of the road at N523. 826 million.
FEC also got an update on the status of work on the roads across the states. The report apprised the council about the status of 524 road projects across the routes A1 to A9 and the cost of the contracts, in addition to outstanding amount due to be paid to contractors for certificates and how much is expected to be spent next year by the ministry.
“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, thirty three are at different stages of completion. It includes 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 repair and upgrade.
“It also includes 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. It is covers works that are being done in road signage, job creation,” Fashola said.
