N110bn Palliative Road Projects Begin December 1 – Umahi

Federal government has approved N110billion for immediate palliative work in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal capital Territory (FCT).

The minister of works, David Umahi, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was aware of the terrible condition of roads since his assumption of duty.

In a statement he issued yesterday, the minister said the president had reeled out plans towards actualising sustainable road infrastructure development throughout the country.

Umahi said Tinubu has approved a 2023 supplementary budget of N300 billion for the Ministry of Works comprising of N110 billion for immediate palliative works in 36 states and FCT and N200 billion for continuation of most of the inherited ongoing projects and very few new but critical road projects.

He said, “Mr President has directed that works in those palliative projects must be commenced before 1st December 2023, while observing all due process.

“On the sections being frequently complained of by the public in all regions of the North and South of the country, Mr. President has equally isolated them and directed immediate actions on them and indeed work has started on all such roads. The public can crosscheck our claims and report back to us” he said.

“The Federal Ministry of Works is very concerned with the supervision of our projects and effective 1st of December 2023, there will be a revolution in the ways and methods the Federal Ministry of Works supervises her projects nationwide and all concerned are hereby put on notice as the ministry will not spare anyone found culpable in his or her assignment.”.

The minister added that Directors of Works of the 36 States and FCT and FERMA have been directed to audit all projects in their states and FCT especially equipment on and off sites with their pictures, personnel of contractors, status of all projects including financial status (contract sum, date of award, period of construction and time table, amount paid, challenges, percentage of work completion, augmentation of project if any, VOP claims etc).

He said this assignment must be completed before 30th November, 2023 and noted that this directive has been given since the past two months.

The minister thanked the president for his directive that all inherited projects from the past administration be continued while sourcing funds for the completion of ongoing projects.

On the use of asphalt and concrete pavement in road infrastructure, he said the federal government will not back down on the policy provided it does not violate any law.

He said those complaining and demarketing the policy “are simply those who do not wish Nigeria well and they are the same people that use adulterated bitumen in their projects while putting pressure on our naira through the importation of adulterated bitumen instead of developing our abundant God given bitumen deposits in Ogun State and other parts of Nigeria.”

“Insofar as this new policy has not violated any law, the Federal Ministry of Works is forging ahead with this new policy,” the minister added.