The Federal Government has in six years executed 974 roads covering 13,000km nationwide, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works and Housing, Dr. Babangida Hussaini has said.
Dr. Hussain told our correspondent in an exclusive interview that the projects were part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign promises toward boosting socio-economic activities in the country.
According to him, despite the current economic challenges, the government was able to embark on capital projects in addition to rehabilitation of thousands of roads worth hundreds of billions of Naira in the six-geopolitical zones.
Dr. Hussaini explained that the projects that passed through the rigours of due process before approval are of high standard.
He said that the ongoing construction of hybrid Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria- Kano road would be inaugurated in March this year, while the Shuwarin- Azare road with Interchange Bridge had been handed over to the state government.
He explained that other roads under the first and second phases include the busiest Lagos-Ibadan awarded to Julius Berger and RCC, which has reached 70 per cent completion, while the delay in the completion of Kano-Katsina road was as a result of compensation payment, removal of electrical poles, also noting that notwithstanding the activities have achieved appreciable progress.
The Permanent Secretary revealed that plans are at advanced stage to install solar powered street lights at Dawanau market by the Federal Government to boost commercial activities and enhance security around the market, stressing that on completion, the market would have capacity to operate 24/7.
Said he: “In spite of Covid-19 pandemic and banditry that hindered difficulties in some of the projects, government has sustained efforts to deliver infrastructural developmental projects across the country.”
In a related development, the sum of N362 billion was earmarked for the SUKUK Fund project for the execution of road projects across the six geo-political zones from 2018 to last year.
While the sum of N250 billion is expected to be spent this year for the SUKUK fund project, including the Ministry of Capital Development Authority and Ministry of Niger Delta as beneficiaries of the project.
