East/West Road To Cost Fed Govt Over N500b

There are indications that the Federal Government may not be working behind the scene to make sure that East/West road project is put to rest before it leaves office next year.

It may also want to make the project one of its signature projects that will stand the test of time long after President Muhammadu Buhari would have left office.

This assertion followed the report of a meeting in Abuja between the Minister of Works Babatunde Fashola and the Council Chairman of Eleme Local Government of Rivers State, Ollomate Ollor, recently, which he made public when he featured in a radio programme in Port Harcourt.

Ollor, during the programme, disclosed that the ministry had concluded paper work for the project, and that part of the delays in commencing the job was due to the changes effected on the original design of the Eleme road to make it stronger and more durable.

He said the changes had also pushed the cost of execution upward, from over N40 billion to over N100 billion.

According to him, the Eleme axis of the road will now carry good drainage system and three dual carriages, bringing it to six lane and concrete reinforcement.

He noted that the job would not be done in isolation from other stretch of East/West road, hinting that even the cost of completing the entire stretch was said to have risen to N500 billion against the former lower value.

Ollor said: “I was with the Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola, on the issue of the road, two weeks ago when I was invited because of a petition I made to the minister.

“From what I gathered from the meeting with the minister, which was attended by the permanent secretary and director of works, that there was a review of the project and that 15 kiliometer has been added to the sides of the road, apparently for drainage.

“It was said that lack of drainage was the major reason the road collapsed in the first place, and to make the road even more durable, a concrete reinforcement, which was not originally in the design, has been added. Also another lane has been added to it, making the road six lanes, three on each side.

“These changes have been the cost of execution of the project. It has moved from over N40 billion to over N100 billion, while the entire East/West road is going to cost the Federal Government over N500 billion.”