FEC Approves N87.5bn For Roads In FCT, Four States

–Lokko-Oweto Bridge/Road Gets N9.3bn Variation

The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved N87.5billion for road work in four states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The states are Oyo, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Benue.

President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the virtual session at the State House, Abuja.

In the FCT, N30.6bn was approved for the full scope development of the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Way to the Northern Express Way (Murtala Mohammed Way).

It’s for completion within 32 months, according to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Bello.

The minister, who spoke with State House Correspondents after the meeting, explained that the project would serve as the boundary road between the adjoining districts of Kado, Katampe, Mabushi and Jabi.

He further stated that the project would untimely de-congest traffic in phases I, II, III, IV of the FCT.

On his part, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, spoke on a separate N47.5bn approved for the completion of the 52-kilometre Oyo-Ogbomosho Highway.

It is part of the Ilorin-Ibadan 145-kilometre highway.

The minister said the variation had increased the total contract sum to N105bn.

The minister gave details, “We needed to adjust some things in the scope of work, the thickness of the pavement from 500mm to 560mm to also change the asphalt to polymer-modified bitumen and also the shoulders from surface dressing to fully-asphalted inside and outside shoulder.

“So, all these required changes in prices of N47.504 billion. This was the revision that we presented which council approved. This road was awarded in 2010. As I said, sections 1 and 3 were completed. We are trying to complete section 2 which we also inherited.”

Fashola said another N9.348bn variation was approved for the completion of the Lokko-Oweto Bridge that links Nasarawa to Benue State.

He said this had also altered the contract price from N51.6bn to N60.9bn.

Fashola spoke further, “The second similar project high we are trying complete is the Lokko-Oweto Bridge. That is the bridge across the River Benue that links Nasarawa and Benue states and provides a major time saving detour, about four hours, for people trying to come from south south, Benue, through to Nasarawa to Abuja.

“That project was awarded in 2011 and it was awarded in three different sections – one section, the road to Benue…to Oweto, was awarded to one contractor, we have completed that road. The bridge was awarded to another contractor, the bridge is essentially finished now. It is open to traffic. And then, Lokko to Nasarawa, 74 kilometres was awarded to another contractor. We are trying to sort out that problem and we will come back to it.

“So, the approval given today was a N9.3bn variation to complete the bridge component or remaining work on the bridge. If you go there now, it’s already opened to traffic, finishing and …work to link the existing road in the Benue side to the bridge is what we got this variation for.

“So, changes in contract price from N51.6bn to N60.9bn.

“As I said, even though we haven’t finished the road side on the Nasarawa side, the commuters are already using the road because it provides a huge detour going through Lafia, Keffi to come to Nasarawa and to Abuja.”