Betty Memiruraye, Abuja
December 17, 2014 – The Federal Government today approved several billions to be spent on roads in Onitsha, Cross River and Sokoto States.
Federal Executive Council(FEC) gave approval for the construction and rehabilitation of the roads with some of the contracts reviewed upward.
The FEC was presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.
A breakdown of the figure shows that the sum of N24.2 billion was approved for the rehabilitation of the remaining stretch of Onitsha-Enugu and Amansea-Enugu road.
Supervising Minister for Information, Dr. Nurudeen Muhammed made the revelation while speaking to journalists after the Federal Executive Council(FEC) meeting in Abuja.
He said the roads will be financed partly with the 2014 budget and proceeds from SURE-P 2014 appropriation, adding that upon completion the affected roads will enhance transportation, communication, improve the socio-economic activities and standard of living of the citizens and reduce travel time and vehicle operating cost.
“It will also generate employment for not less than 25 engineers, 100 skilled and 435 semi-skilled workers in the course of execution of the project. There is a budgetary provision of N400 million in the ministry’s 2014 appropriation and N11billion under SURE-P 2014 appropriation, which is adequate for the takeoff of the project, ” he said.
He said that FEC also approved the rehabilitation of Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega-Birnin Yauri Road (186km) in Kebbi State at the cost of N19.8 billion, thereby revising the initial contract sum from N10.5 billion to N30.4 billion with a completion period of 36 months while additional N10.6 billion was approved for the completion of work on Sokoto-Jega-Kontagora-Makera Road: Kontagora-Makera (85km) in Niger State, thereby revising the contract sum from N8.9 billion to N19.5 billion, with a completion period of 30 months.
Other roads approved by FEC include Vandeikya-Obudu Cattle Ranch (completion of outstanding 12.5km) in Benue/Cross River states with completion period of 18 months.
