FEC Approves N126.8bn For Roads

The federal government yesterday approved the sum of N28.77 billion for rehabilitation and reconstruction of federal roads across the country.
In addition, the government also approved 28 projects to the tune of N98.5 billion for nine states of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), including construction of roads, bridges, erosion, land reclamation, education and power supply, for implementation between now and 2014.
The approval was made at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Minister of Information, Labaran Maku who gave the hint at the weekly FEC briefing, said Jonathan ordered the rehabilitation of roads in the country ahead of the Yuletide while taking advantage of the dry season which is favourable for road construction.
Works Minister, Mike Onolememen listed the roads to include 21km Wudil-Achika Darki-Jigawa road (N4.39b); Kontagora-Rijau-Tunga Magajia  (N3.6b out of a total of N16.7b); 26.27km Nnenwe-Uduma-Uburu in Enugu/Ebonyi States, including Ishiagu-Mile 2 road (N11.6b); Auchi Poly-Ekperi-Uzea-One (with Spur to Fugar) – Afuda-Usugbenun Road, Water Works Ivue-Ibore-Irrua Road (N8.9b) and rehabilitation of  Funtua-Gusau-Sokoto road, to be augmented with N306.9m to a final cost of N3.43bn.
FEC also approved the execution of the Zungeru hydro-power project in Niger State that will provide 700MW of electricity as against 900MW postulated earlier. It will be funded by the China EXIM bank to the tune of N162.9bn, and will be constructed by a Chinese firm on Build-Operate-Transfer arrangement.
It also gave nod to the Shagari irrigation project which started in 2007 in Sokoto State is also to be completed with additional N317.92 million totalling N1.16 billion.