The Federal Government has announced that palliative road projects in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory would commence before December 1, 2023.
The Federal Minister of Works, Dave Umahi made this announcement in response to the growing concerns of the public on the deplorable situations of some Federal roads throughout the country.
This information is contained in an official statement released by the Ministry of Works on Monday and can be seen on the website of the ministry.
According to the minister, the current administration inherited lots of deplorable sections of roads across the country, such as the Makurdi-Nsukka 9th Mile Road, East-West Road, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Benin bypass road, collapsed bridges of Enugu- Port Harcourt road, collapsed bridges of Shandam-Plateau State, Abuja-Kaduna- Zaria-Kano road and Gombe- Bauchi etc.
Umahi further disclosed that President Tinubu had approved N100 billion, out of the N300 billion allocated to the Ministry of Works, for immediate palliative works in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
- “Mr. President has directed that works in those palliative projects must commence before 1st December 2023, while observing all due process. On the sections being frequently complained of by the public in all regions of the North and South of the country, Mr. President has equally isolated them and directed immediate actions on them and indeed work has started on all such roads. The public can crosscheck our claims and report back to us,” Umahi added.
FG’s request for citizens’ supervision of ongoing road projects
The Works Minister also requested that the public assist the Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA by supervising the contractors that will be engaged in these palliative works and indeed all ongoing projects that are being funded by the government.
Here’s what Umahi said:
- “It is the right of every Nigerian to have value for their money deployed to the road infrastructure sector and therefore must show both interest and passion in all the ongoing projects by the Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA, and indeed all projects of the Federal, State and Local governments.
- “All poorly constructed roads should be photographed and reported immediately to the following contacts: 08030986263, 08037086137, or 08106423197; showing the name of the contractor, the location and type of contract and defects observed.
- “The Federal Ministry of Works will document such reports, verify and take effective action to correct such infractions. The Federal Ministry of Works shall also periodically recognize publicly those who made such reports that are genuine in a public engagement forum to be hosted quarterly by the Federal Ministry of Works and will sanction such erring contractors publicly too.”
