FEC Okays N15.5 Billion-Bauchi-Kano Road
The Federal Executive Council(FEC) on Wednesday approved N15.454 billion for the 58.9 kilometer Magami-Kwajali-Lingi Road connecting Bauchi and Kano.
It also approved the Phase II of Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lagos byepass-Makurdi road.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the cabinet meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He stated: “I need to stress that this the section that comprises 16 kilometers which is the Lagos by-pass and the section that also comprises 251.7 kilometers from Ninth Mile through Otukpo to Makurdi – a total of 268.5 kilometers for $995,004.95.
“The reason is that it is the Abuja -Keffi road which was awarded in 2015, for which finance is now available.
“So, this is the second phase for which the finance is not yet available but the award is the pre-condition to now get the loan from the China-Exim Bank, so that by the time work on the first phase finishes, we can seemlessly continue the second phase all the way to Makurdi.”
Recall that other road contracts were awarded whic include those in Kano, Bauchi, Adamawa, Borno , Kwara, Gombe, Enugu and Kaduna states as well as bridges on Bauchi – Gombe road. Fashola said:“The headline figures are in the region of about N126 billion. But I think that is not the story, the story really is what the contracts do to the economy. Yemi Osinbajo, Babatunde Fashola READ ALSO: 2017 budget will expire on May 5 – senator Abdullar “They restore confidence back to the construction industry. “Contractors who have been owed for two or three years before Mr President was elected are back in various states. “They recalled back their workers, they are purchasing quarry, gravel, cement, iron rods; the economy is on its way back to a mend. “Every place in all of those states, once we mobilise the contractors the money is kept in those states. “Most of the workers who drive the trucks, who fix the roads that you see add to the use of the roads. “And so, they aggregate to the total output from each of those states to the national productivity and our national recovery. “What you then would see is improved journey time which was what we promised you.’’ The minister said that as the ministry completed more roads Nigerians would travel more efficiently and thereby improve the economy. According to him, commuters will travel more efficiently, burn less fuel and reach their destinations quicker. Also, the minister of budget and national planning Sen. Udoma Udoma said that FEC had extensive discussion on the economic growth plan. He said that final consultations are being made before the president would launch it. Udoma said that the plan being approved would drive economic recovery and lay the foundation for longer term growth. He said it would address the country’s poor competitiveness, improve the business environment and attract investment in infrastructure, especially power, roads, rail and ports. He said that jobs and social inclusion “are also key focus areas in the plan’’. READ ALSO: Mercy Aigbe was coughing blood after husband assaulted her – Lagos Commissioner The minister said that immediate execution priorities include agriculture and food security as well as energy particularly power and petroleum products sufficiency. He also mentioned industrialization with focus on medium and small enterprises, transportation as well as sufficiency and stabilization of the micro economy. Udoma said that FEC also dwelt on implementation of the plan’s implementation with the creation of a delivery unit in the presidency. According to him the key principles of the plan were to include tackling the constraints to growth and leveraging the power of the private sector, promoting national cohesion and social inclusion.
