Nigeria, Sep 30, 2016 – Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has said that government has paid N73 billion to contractors handling federal jobs to return to site.
Fashola who said the payment represents the first time most contractors are receiving payment from government for over 3 said the money was paid to enable contractors re-engage workers who had been laid off.
“Very soon, we will pay some more money as soon as our accounts are credited with the second-quarter release”, he said adding that he has resolved to hold Controller of Works in the state accountable for shoddy jobs on federal highways. In every state of the federation, the Federal Government in the Ministry of Works is represented by personnel who are led by controllers.
“Our plan is to challenge and empower the controllers to be more effective and responsive to the states and communities they are posted to; and to hold them to account for the quality of federal roads within their states.We have met with all federal controllers and they have agreed to take on this responsibility. Their success will depend on a number of factors, some of which are in the control of the states and some of which are in the control of the Federal Government.
“The controllers have been briefed to recognize their roles as ambassadors of the federal government in their states of posting”, he said adding that they have been mandated to develop closer working relationships with the state governments, the governors, the commissioners responsible for road works and infrastructure, the local government representatives because federal roads traverse local governments, and also the traditional rulers and community leaders through whose domains our federal roads traverse.
