By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Determined to improve the road infrastructure across Nigeria, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari Wednesday approved the sum of N83 billion for roads infrastructure in Kano and Lagos respectively.
This piece of news was dropped by Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed while briefing State House Correspondents after the weekly FEC meeting held at Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.
Mohammed disclosed that Council approved over N83 billion for roads in Kano and Lagos after considering the memos presented by the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola.
According to him, “FEC approved the sum of N22,247,332,000 for the award of contract for the reconstruction of the Apapa-Oworonsoki-Ojota Phase Section II, an 8.1kilometer stretch road. It also approved N8 billion augmentation for the award of contract for the dualisation of Kano-Maiduguri road (about 560 kilometers).
Mohammed also said: “I want to report that he (Fashola) presented a memo which was approved in council today for the award of a contract for the reconstruction of the Apapa-Oworonsoki-Ojota Phase Section II, which is bit land Interchange, 8.1 kilometer stretch. You will recall that in 2018, the Federal Government approved an award of contract to Dangote Industry for the sum of N72 billion. By the time the award was made, there was this Section of the road that was in fairly good condition. But with the construction of the Oworonsoki project coming to an end, it now makes better sense to include that section which was fairly good.
“This contract was awarded today for the sum of N22,247,332,000. But you must know that this is one of the projects being awarded under Infrastructural Tax Credit Scheme. In other words, it is awarded to Dangote and Dangote will will construct it and over the years, it will be deducted from the tax payable by the group.
“It is one of various means of PPP that this administration has embraced. It is not only restricted to Oworonsoki-Apapa road, it is the same system that is being used in Obajana-Kaba road. Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) is also using the same formula for the bridge to link Bonny and Boro in Rivers State.
“Another memo which he presented was for the award of contract for the dualisation of Kano-Maiduguri road. That is Section One. That is Kano-Wudil-Shuarin section. This is about 560 kilometers contract between Kano and Maiduguri.
“The section awarded today is actually more of approval for an estimated total cost. They found out that at the time of the award of the contract, certain conditions have to be known. He sought for a revision and an increment in the sum of N8 billion which will bring the total cost of the contract to N63 billion. It was approved by council today.”
