The Federal Government has announced that the emergency repairs of 330 roads and bridges across Nigeria were nearing completion.
Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, revealed that the initiative, valued at over N500 billion, is now 80% completed.
Speaking after a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, Umahi stated that the Ministry of Finance has fully released N300 billion for the projects.
He promised to publish full details and completion levels of the projects next week.
He said, “Let me announce that the 330 emergency repairs of roads and bridges across the country valued at over N500 billion is about 80 per cent completed and the Ministry of Finance has fully released N300 billion for the projects and we are going to publish by next week the full details and the level of completion.
“Also the Abuja to Kano, the Lagos to Ibadan and the Second Niger Bridge, the Abuja to Kano (roads) have been dismembered into three with two for Dangote and BUA and the other by Julius Berger and Berger has moved back to site and the other tax credit contractors have been mobilised by next week.”
The Minister also highlighted several other infrastructure developments. He listed approval of budget increases for ongoing road projects in Enugu, Lagos, and Cross River States.
Also, the immediate procurement approved for full rehabilitation of the Katsina-Dustema-Maraba Road in Katsina State.
He said, “Today in FEC, we have three approvals for review of ongoing projects, the first one was the review for the construction of Umulungbe-Umuoka Road in Enugu State. It was approved for review from N6.245bn to N8.85bn, about N2.6 billion addition.
“We had the review of the repay of Iganmu Bridge in Lagos State. It’s reviewed from N1.16bn to N2.229bn.
“The last one was approval of dualization of the Calabar to Udopkani Road to Itu Road in Cross River State. It was changed from flexible pavement to rejig pavement, dualized with improved soft structure engagement. It was reviewed from N79.649bn to N118.412bn.
“There is also approval for the immediate procurement of full rehabilitation of the road in Katsina State, that is the road on the Katsina-Dustema-Maraba Road in Katsina State and it is approved for immediate procurement.”
He gave progress reports on major highways, including Abuja-Kano and Lagos-Ibadan, with contractors mobilised to resume work at the sites.
Umahi addressed concerns about project reviews, explaining that they were necessary due to factors such as Naira fluctuations, increased construction material costs, and fuel subsidy removal.
He emphasised the Tinubu administration’s commitment to completing long-standing projects efficiently, even if it means terminating contracts with uncooperative contractors.