By Omololu Ogunmade
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday in Abuja approved over N58 billion for different road construction and rehabilitation in Kano, Kaduna, Jos and Federal Capital Territorty (FCT).
While about N50.8 billion of the sum was approved for the construction of Yakassai-Badume-Damagum-Makinzali Road in Kano as well as the rehabilitation of Kaduna-Kanbegua-Jos Road, another N7.7 billion was approved for the construction of some FCT roads.
The council also approved over N1 billion for varying aviation projects.
Briefing reporters after the 27th weekly virtual FEC meeting, Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said the Kano road contract was awarded to CCECC at the cost of N12.157 billion while Kaduna-Jos road was awarded at the rate of N38.701 billion to Setraco Ltd.
“The Ministry of Works and Housing presented one memorandum for the award of contract for the construction of two roads; the Yakassai-Badume-Damagum-Makinzali Road in Kano, in favour of CCECC for N12.157 billion and the rehabilitation of the Kaduna-Kanbegua-Jos Road, linking Kaduna and Plateau states, in favour of Setraco Nigeria Limited, for N38.701 billion and the proposals were approved by the Federal Executive Council,” Fashola said.
In his own briefing, Minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello, said FEC also approved N431,640,286 as an additional cost to the initial N914,189,200 approved for the construction of Yaba-Kpahe Road in Kwali and Abaji areas of FCT to Messrs COAN (W.A) Ltd for a period of 12 months.
Bello also said the council approved another N7,302,585,139 to bring the total cost for the construction of one service carriageway on inner northern expressway from Ring Road III to Ring Road IV towards Abuja Industrial Park to N14.481 billion from the initial cost of N7,179,322,294. The minister said the contract was awarded to Messrs Salini Nigeria Ltd.
Bello said: “As part of the opening up of rural areas in the FCT, predominantly agricultural area, the Federal Executive Council has approved the revised estimated total cost/augmentation of the contract for the construction of Yaba-Kpahe Road in Kwali/Abaji area council in the Federal Capital Territory.
“That is in the sum of N431,640,286. As you know, that is an area that is by River Gurara, which is a very important water body crossing the FCT.
‘It is a very important agricultural area and this particular project, we hope when completed is going to enhance the economic development of that area, food security in the FCT and bring about security and peace.
“The contract was awarded to Messrs COAN (W.A) Ltd at the sum of N431,640,286 at the completion period of 12 months. The contract sum increased
from N914,189,200 to N1,345,829,486.
“Council also approved the revised estimated total cost/augmentation and change in scope of the contract for the construction of one service carriageway of inner northern expressway from Ring Road III to Ring Road IV – Abuja industrial Park. It is supposed to link the road to the rest of the road systems in the territory.
“As you know, industrialisation is one of the key objectives of this administration and by extension all the multiplier effects that normally, societies will get when they industrialise.
“It is a very important project which we will try as much as possible to fund so that we can see completion within 24 months.
“he contract is awarded to Messrs Salini Nigeria Ltd at the cost of N7,302,585,139. The contract sum increased from N7,179,322,294 to N14,481,907,414.”
The council also approved over N1 billion for two aviation projects, including the expansion of Maiduguri Airport apron at the cost of N719,117,868.6.
It also approved N390,550,687.45 to insure some airport terminals.
Briefing reporters on behalf of the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the council approved two memoranda presented by his aviation counterpart.
“The first memo is a contract for the expansion of the apron at Maiduguri Airport. This contract is worth N719,117,868.60. It’s awarded to a company called Luvaslink Projects Limited.
“The expansion of the Maiduguri Airport has become necessary because of the increased traffic at the airport. The apron of an airport is actually that area where aircraft manoeuvres are made, where they turn, where they park.
“Because of the increased traffic, that apron has to be expanded to avoid accidents.
“The second contract is one awarded to Zenith General Insurance Company and 19 other insurance companies to insure assets such as terminal buildings in 22 airports belonging to the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). The contract is in the sum of N390,550,687.45. Both memos were approved by Council today,” Mohammed said.
Also briefing, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mr. Clement Agba, said the council approved a memorandum for ratification of the Nigerian Road Safety Strategy II.
According to him, this initiative is an update on the maiden Nigerian Road Safety Strategy I which was in force from 2014-2018.
Giving an insight into NRSS I and II, Agba said while the former was conceived to reduce road crashes by 35 percent, the latter was evolved to further reduce crashes by 50 percent, among other useful plans.
Agba said: “There are four basic differences between NRSS I and NRSS II. One is the goal setting. For NRSS I, the reduction in road traffic crashes was to be by 35 percent by end of the year 2018. This has been pushed further and reduced to 50 percent by the year 2030.
“In NRSS I, there was just one oversight advisory council which was at federal level, the National Road Safety Advisory Council. NRSS II has now set up state roads safety advisory councils in addition to the National Road Safety Advisory Council.
“Apart from the strategic activities defined in the pillars in NRSS I, NRSS II now includes global framework plan of action, and then, the documents that have been rephrased have now increased from four to about nine.
“The pillars upon which this strategy is based are road safety management, safer roads and mobility, safer road users which is very paramount, more important than the road conditions, safer vehicles and then the post crash care.”
