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Lagos-Ibadan
Expressway under construction
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The Minister for Power,
Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has explained how the federal government
has prioritized highway projects across the country in order of economic
importance.
PREMIUM
TIMES report continues:
Mr.
Fashola appeared before the Senate on Works on Monday to defend his ministry’s
budget.
In
the 2017 budget proposal, the Ministry has ₦564.2 billion for the three
sectors, out of which works gets ₦311.5 billion.
It
has the highest vote for capital expenditure in the 2017 budget.
Mr.
Fashola said the highway projects were grouped into categories in order of
priority and importance of the projects.
According
to him, the “priority 1” projects are “national priority projects on critical
economic routes on the federal road network.”
“These
are highly trafficked North-South, East-West routes used for the distribution
of goods and services across the country and major river-crossing bridges.
“The
sum of ₦150,470,553,292, which represents 62.22%, is proposed to execute “National Priority 1” projects in 2017.
“Some
of the projects are the construction of Second Niger Bridge at Onitsha;
construction of the dual carriageway of Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja (Sections I-IV) in
FCT/Kogi State; construction of the Kano-Maiduguri dual carriage Road (Sections
I-V) in Kano/Bauchi/Yobe/Borno states; and the rehabilitation of Enugu-Port
Harcourt Dual Carriageway (Sections I-IV) in Enugu/Abia/Rivers states.”
“(Others
are) Rehabilitation/reconstruction of the Lagos-Shagamu-Ibadan Expressway in
Lagos/Oyo states; construction of Loko-Oweto Bridge in Nasarawa/Benue states;
reconstruction of outstanding sections of Benin-Ofosu-Ore-Sagamu Road in
Edo/Ondo/Ogun states; rehabilitation of Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene Road section
I: Odukpani-Itu Bridgehead; and rehabilitation of Ilorin-J’ebba-Mokwa Road.”
“National Priority 2”
According
to the minister, these are projects along the branch routes from the critical
economic routes on the federal road network.
“These
roads serve as links between the major routes and agricultural producing hubs,
factories and mining deposits for the evacuation of agricultural produce,
manufactured goods and raw materials to markets and ports across the country.
The sum of ₦43,143,299,357, which represents 17.84%, is proposed to execute
“National Priority 2” projects in 2017.”
He
listed some of the projects as dualisation of Sapele-Ewu Road in Delta/Edo
states; dualisation of Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Road in Lagos/Ogun states;
rehabilitation of Hadejia-Nguru-Gashua-Bayamari road in Jigawa/Yobe states; and
the rehabilitation of Ilorin-Kabba-Obajana Road in Kwara/Kogi states.
Others
are the rehabilitation of Yola-Mubi Road; rehabilitation of Owerri-Umuahia Road
in Imo/Abia states; dualization of Yenagoa Road Junction-Kolo-Otuoke-Bayelsa
Palm in Bayelsa State; and the rehabilitation of Damaturu-Biu Road.
“National Priority 3”
“These
projects are specifically targeted at routes leading to the nation’s
refineries, petroleum depots, major ports and mineral producing areas in the
country to ease the movement of petroleum products and imported goods from the
ports and depots to other parts of the country.
“Also,
the sum of ₦25,508,708,266, which represents 10.55%, was proposed to execute
national priority 3 projects in 2017.
“Some
of the projects are rehabilitation of Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in Lagos Phase I
& II; dualisation of Suleja-Minna Road; construction of Bodo-Bonny Road
with a bridge across the Opobo channel in Rivers State; access road to
Apapa/Tin Can Port, NNPC Depot (Atlas Cove) to Mile 2; and the construction of
Agaie-Katcha-Baro Road,” Mr. Fashola explained.
“National Priority 4”
Road
projects in “key agricultural states producing cash crops like yam, rice,
maize, cassava, fruits, etc.” were categorized under “national priority 4” with
objective of boosting “the production of these crops and ease their movement to
markets. This is to enhance food sufficiency in the country and minimize
losses.”
Mr.
Fashola disclosed that ₦8.9 billion, representing 3.68%, was proposed to
construct and rehabilitate roads in this category.
Such
projects include the rehabilitation of Sokoto-TambuwaI-Jega-Kontagora-Makera in
Sokoto/Kebbi states; rehabilitation of Otukpo-9th Mile-Enugu-Port Harcourt dual
carriageway in Benue/Enugu states; rehabilitation of Abakaliki-Afikpo Road in
Ebonyi State; rehabilitation of Akure-Ondo Road in Ondo State; rehabilitation
of Aba-Azumini-Opobo Road (Aba-Azumini section) in Abia State; rehabilitation
of Wukari-Mutum Biyu-Jalingo-Numan Road Section I: Wukari-Mutum Biyu Road in
Taraba State.
The minister said inadequacy of budgetary votes to sustain annual cash-flow requirements hinders timely completion of projects in Nigeria.
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