Federal Gov’t Approves N733bn For Major Road Projects

By The Federal Government has approved a total of N733 billion for four major infrastructure projects across Nigeria as part of President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to upgrading the nation’s road network.

Minister of Works, David Umahi disclosed this on Monday after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, where he outlined the awarded contracts, which cover key road dualisation projects and a flyover construction.

He gave a breakdown of approved projects to include the Odupani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene Road, spanning Cross River and Akwa Ibom states which was awarded to Decon Construction Nigeria Limited at N55 billion.
The project, initially approved in 2021 for a higher amount, was re-procured after a review of contracts with previous contractors.

Also, “Ibadan-Ilorin Road Section 2 (Oyo-Ogbomosho, Oyo State) – A 147-kilometer dualization project awarded at N147 billion.

“Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road Section 2 – This 164-kilometer stretch received the largest allocation of N507 billion and was awarded to InfoWest Nigeria Limited.

“Abakpa Flyover (Enugu State) – A traffic relief flyover near the 82 Division Nigerian Army in Enugu, awarded to CCECC at N24 billion,” Umahi said.

The minister also used the briefing to address concerns raised in the Senate over the equitable distribution of projects.

He clarified that project approvals depend on memos submitted for consideration and are not allocated based on regional favoritism.

He emphasised that most of the approved projects were inherited from past administrations and have been prioritised for completion.

He said, “There was a time we awarded some projects, and we came here to say this with the projects that FEC approved, and a senator raised a motion in the House, alluding that more projects were approved in the South than in the North.

“Let me correct that impression, because I’m not qualified to write to the Senate President to correct it. But the fact remains that it is the memo that comes to FEC that is approved.

“Sometimes a memo can be in favour of a particular region or a particular zone. So our briefing here should not be taken as if we are bringing projects in an equitably form.

“We have a total of N507 billion that is for Abuja-Kano section. And of course, in my own zone, we have only N24 billion,” he said.

The minister added that if another day something bigger is brought from the South-East, it should not be criticized, stressing that “ the President is committed to completing all the inherited projects.

“And in any case, most of the projects we come here to announce are inherited projects, and that the President is continuing. And if you go back to look at the inherited projects, they were not even equitably distributed by the last administration, but the President did not mind, he still continues all of them,” he added.