The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola,
SAN, has said the Infrastructure policy of the present administration is
clearly hitting the right buttons across the country.
Fashola also revealed that the Second Niger Bridge will be
completed in the year 2022.
He made this statement during an inspection tour of Amansea
Section of the Rehabilitation of Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, Anambra; and the
tour of the Federal Secretariat, Awka; as well as the National Housing
Programme at Isiagwu, the Second Niger Bridge in Anambra and Delta States and
the National Housing Programme in Asaba, Delta State.
Mr. President, he said has continued to emphasize a
commitment to infrastructure as the quickest way to employing people. Fashola
further said, “Policies have very diverse and extensive impact on the people,
so when Mr. President says he wants to lift 100 million people out of poverty,
he knows what he is saying and he knows some of the right buttons like
infrastructure, to press.”
Whilst going around the sites, the Minister interacted with
workers who were full of appreciation to the administration of President Buhari
for the opportunity to work and earn a living rather than going into crime. Mr.
Sunday Etikwu, a mason at one of the National Housing Programme sites who was
visibly excited said he received a daily pay of N4,500 naira and works all
through the week.
Details of the Minister’s inspection tour were made
available on Wednesday by Stephen Kilebi, Deputy Director of
Press in the Ministry of works
He added that a food vendor Mrs. Ebele Chukwu also expressed
happiness for the opportunity to cook and sell alongside her husband who works
as a labourer at the site and goes home with at least N5,000 naira daily.
Fashola said the end product maybe constructing a road or
building a housing estate but the human capacity is enhanced through drains
being laid, electric fittings being installed, foundations being dug, blocks
being molded and food being supplied, thereby providing employment and boosting
the economy as well as the living standard of the community and its environs.
“It is the initial value chain of the economy which is the
first impact you feel when it comes to infrastructure,” he said.
At the National Housing Programme site at Isiagwu, the
Minister observed significant improvements especially when accessing the site
as compared to what obtained when he first came to the site.
He further said it was a far sighted vision by the state
government to open up the community, but was still expectant on their
commitment to open up more roads as it would take some time for the Isiagwu
community to come alive.
During the inspection of the Federal Secretariat project in
Awka the supervisor Engr. Nnamdi Umeji who conducted the minister round the
site said the project had reached a 90% completion level. The contractor
handling the project observed that the project had no provision for a lift as
it was not budgeted for.
The Minister asked him to submit the design and cost
implication for the provision of a lift booth and the contractor promised to
submit within three weeks. Fashola also inspected the National Housing
Programme in Asaba located along Benin-Asaba expressway which had twelve
contractors on site.
The Project Supervisor, Arc. Godwin Otobo said the first
phase of the semi-detached houses had reached almost 100% completion level.
Other projects inspected were the construction of Umunya
road in Awka, Anambra State where the Minister expressed dissatisfaction over
the slow pace of work and charged the contractor to expedite action on the
project and the construction of the second Niger Bridge which had reached over
30% completion level.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com