• The federal government says 524 roads and bridges are under construction across the country

  • This was disclosed by the minister of works and housing, Babatunde Fashola

  • Fashola also disclosed that the government intervening on roads in some of the tertiary institutions across the country.

The minister of works and housing, Babatunde Fashola, has revealed that the federal government is currently constructing a total of 524 road and bridge projects nationwide. Fashola disclosed this on Tuesday, December 3 while updating the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on the ongoing road and bridge construction/rehabilitation projects nationwide.

While stressing that every state in the federation including the FCT has at least three such ongoing projects, he said 80 of them are priority projects scheduled for completion in the 2020-2021 fiscal year. He listed those on priority to include 27 financed with Sovereign SUKUK Fund, 47 scheduled for substantial completion in 2020/2021 and other priority projects, two roads leading to the ports and four major bridges.

Giving reasons for the prioritisation of the 80 projects, the minister said it would improve the ease of doing business in the country.

“The projects on completion will bring about reduced travel time, lower vehicle operating costs and improve the comfort of road users as well as improve the ease of doing business in the country and ultimately boost the Nigerian economy,” Fashola said. The minister also provided a detailed record of ongoing road and bridge projects in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory. According to him, the ministry is also intervening on roads in some of the tertiary institutions across the country.

Fashola, however, told FEC that in order to accomplish the objective of completing the prioritized projects in scheduled time, an additional N255.6 billion would be needed to close the funding gap for the projects. FG promises handsome reward as number of whistleblowers drops He pointed out that the amount was the difference between the appropriation for the project in the 2020 Budget, which stands N157.05 billion and the actual estimate for the completion of the projects which stands at N412.64 billion. Recall that last month, the federal government commenced a nationwide road maintenance programme covering several regions of the country.

Source: Legit.ng

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