FEC approves N120.7bn for road, water projects

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved a total of N120.7 billion for road and water projects.

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, told State House Correspondents after the FEC after the virtual cabinet meeting, three roads worth N115.65 billion were approved for the Ministry.

He said the projects were consistent with the responsibilities his ministry was mandated to execute under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and the commitment to improving road transport infrastructure across Nigeria.

“The Ministry of Works presented two memoranda for consideration and award of three roads, all of which Council graciously approved.

“They are the award of the Jebi-Lamba-Bele Road in Adamawa State for N26.829 billion. The Achingali-Udobi-Udona-Umuwana-Ubakala Road, including the bridge, across the Imo River in Imo State, for the sum of N11.540 billion. The Jarmai-Bashar-Zuruk-Andame-Karim Lamido Road, linking Plateau and Taraba States, in the sum of N77.279 billion.

“These projects are consistent with the ministerial responsibilities we are mandated to execute under the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan and the commitment to improving road transport infrastructure because these roads connect critical agriculture, mining and economic areas of the country, to improve the ease of doing business, to reduce journey time and so on.

“For example, the road that links Plateau and Taraba States, when completed along with the Ibi Bridge, will reduce the journey time from Abuja to Jalingo in Taraba from about 12 hours to about eight hours.

“It will be a significant reduction in journey time and also the other roads will be equally beneficial in bringing down cost of goods, cost of transportation and cost of doing business,” he said.

Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Adamu, said the FEC approved a sum of N5.02 billion for the revised estimated cost for the completion of Zungeru-Wushishi Water Supply Project in Niger State.

“Today, we presented to council, a request for approval of revised estimated total cost for the completion of Zungeru-Wushishi Water Supply Project in Niger State in favour of Messr R Services, Zilon Construction Services Joint Venture in the sum of N5.021bn, raising the project from N1.93bn to N6.955bn, inclusive all taxes.

“This is a project that was started in 1998 by Niger State government. They couldn’t continue. Eventually, it was transferred to federal government,” he said.

Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, said that the Federal Fire Service responded to 2615 fire calls, saved 724 lives and assets worth N1.629 trillion between June and October 2019.

He explained that the figure was evaluated within the operational competence of the Fire service to evaluate worth of property so as to put clear information and message of their activities and what they have done.

“In their intervention therefore what this means is that they have prevented destruction of assets worth N1.629 trillion between June and October 2019,while saving 724 lives and responded to 2215 fire calls,” he said.