The Minister of Works and
Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has assured Nigerians that critical roads
across the country, particularly those leading to fuel depots would soon be
fixed in order to enhance fuel distribution and ease the usual high traffic
during the ember months.
Fashola spoke in his office in
Abuja on Monday while responding to a request by the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for urgent intervention by the Ministry on some
roads leading to fuel depots without the distribution of petroleum products
during the festive months could be seriously hampered.
The Minister, who assured that
arrangements were already being put in place to fix such roads and a number of
those which conditions had deteriorated as a result of heavy rainfalls, listed
such selected roads to include Suleja-Bida-Lapai-Lambata; Oyo–Ogbomosho-Ilorin;
Jebba-Mokwa-Tegina; Benin-Sapele-Warri; Benin-Auchi-Okenne; Enugu-Onitsha;
Awka-Amansea and Odukpani-Itu roads.
On the state of the listed roads,
Fashola explained that the Suleja-Lambata-Minna Road was in a fairly good
condition adding that the failed portions were slated for emergency repairs
during the ember month’s programme while work is ongoing on the
Bida-Lapai-Lambata Roads where the contractor handling it has already
stabilized a substantial part of the road.
The Bida–Minna Road, the Minister
explained, is a Niger State Government Road and is in a fairly good condition
while the Suleja –Lambata –Minna Road; is a Federal Government road under SUKUK
funding.
Disclosing that his Ministry had
commenced discussions with the contractors handling the various road projects
for the commencement of repair and rehabilitation works as soon as the rains
subside, Fashola said approval has been given for the Engineering Corps of the
Nigerian Army to repair the bad portions of the Bokani-Makaera-Tegina-Birnin
Gwari Road in Niger and Kaduna States, which is currently under procurement,
due to the security situation in that axis.
He further explained that funding
has also been a challenge, adding that the Federal Government would endeavour
to meet its financial obligations to the contractors handling the various road
projects to ensure that they returned to the sites.
He said work on the
Oyo-Ogbomosho-Ilorin Road is on-going by the contractor handling the project,
which, he explained, is one of the projects that received dedicated funding
under SUKUK. According to him, although the project is being challenged by the
current weather situation and funding, the old alignment of the Oyo-Ogbomosho
route is receiving palliative attention.
On the Ilorin –Jebba –Mokwa Road,
which is under a dualization contract, Fashola explained that the project has
been divided into two sections with Ilorin –Jebba in Kwara State as Section1:
while Section II comprises Jebba–Mokwa–Bokani Junction in Niger State adding
that it is a new project and mobilization was still being processed.
For Okene–Lokoja Road, which is
in four sections and under SUKUK funding, he explained that all the contractors
handling the various sections had been directed to do palliative work on the
failed portions of the road.
He said while a Federal
Government appointed contractor is currently working on the Enugu –Onitsha
Road, the bad portions of the Awka –Amansea Road are being repaired by the
Anambra State Government.
For the Odukpani –Itu Road, the
Minister said the contracting firm which is handling the project, has left the
site as a result of the challenges of the weather situation and funding adding
that the Ministry is currently intensifying efforts to address the challenges
for the company to return to site as soon as possible.
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