The Federal government has released N108.5 billion out of the N217bn set aside for the emergency repairs of 260 roads in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, during a meeting with all directors of the ministry on Thursday in Abuja.
Recall that in October 2023, the Ministry sought the approval of the Federal Government to undergo quick rehabilitation and intervention of 260 critically failed road projects across the federation and was approved by the government two weeks later.
“The President has approved over 260 road interventions across the 36 states and the FCT,” the Minister of Works, David Umahi, told State House Correspondents after a closed-door meeting with the President at the Aso Rock Villa last year.
They include the resurfacing of the Third Mainland Bridge, construction of the Lekki Deep Seaport road, reconstruction of two collapsed bridges in Enugu and reconstruction of two locations on the Onitsha-Owerri Road.
Other roads approved for construction include the upgrading of the ongoing Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia road and the dualisation of the Lafia by-pass amongst others.
Umahi stated that the released funds show how much the president is willing to invest in infrastructure, adding that no excuses will be tolerated to ensure that road repairs are adequately done.
He said, “I am pleased to announce that 50 per cent of the palliative works for the year 2023 have been released to the ministry. The pressure is already on me and that’s why I even had to resume early. All budgets will close in March and that’s enough time to utilise the budget but if we can’t claim this money due to bureaucracy and people not doing what they are supposed to do, then which mouth do we have to say Ministry of Works is not funded?
“There is no hour I don’t get over 10 calls because contractors haven’t collected the contract paper and it wasn’t known to me that even the bill of quantities is not ready for the contractors to begin work. The palliative work is a very big test case for us. There is no excuse for us to fail. You can’t give the excuse that people do not come to work and all of our jobs are on the line. Our successes and failures are what people use to judge Mr President and he is not going to give them excuses.”
