President Bola Tinubu has given his nod for the emergency repairs of more than 260 federal roads, spanning across all 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Minister of Works, David Umahi, shared this information with the press on Thursday after a meeting with President Tinubu at the State House in Abuja. The extensive repairs are projected to cost approximately N217 billion, with additional approvals for new road construction works and project upgrades.
Minister Umahi disclosed that the approved projects encompass various critical infrastructures, including the resurfacing of the Third Mainland Bridge, the construction of the Lekki deep seaport road in Lagos, and the reconstruction of two collapsed bridges in Enugu. The Onitsha-Owerri Road is also set to undergo reconstruction at two specific locations.
In his statement to newsmen, Umahi highlighted President Tinubu’s commitment to addressing the deplorable state of the nation’s roads. “Every day we get a lot of concerns from the public on the very deplorable situation of our roads, but there is no paper I brought in respect of that that Mr President has not approved,” he remarked.
The Minister further outlined the extensive list of approved projects, including the upgrading of the ongoing Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia road and the dualization of the Lafia bypass. Notably, projects such as the Lafia Bypass Dualisation and the 7th AXA Road, Lekki Deep Seaport (access) in Lagos, are being financed by the China EXIMBank.
Umahi emphasized the significance of the approved projects, especially the Lekki Deep Seaport, which is poised to be a major hub for well-established companies. He stated, “So Mr President has approved that I should go ahead and sign MoU, and that it should be programmed for priority in our business with the Chinese.”
Responding to questions about the timeline for project commencement, Umahi explained that there is a meticulous process involving designs, procurement, and contractor selection. He expressed confidence that with the onset of the dry season from November, the works would commence, exerting pressure for timely completion.
Additionally, Minister Umahi announced President Tinubu’s approval for the reconstitution of the Board of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), a move aimed at expediting nationwide road maintenance. “Mr President approved the reconstitution of FERMA Board, and this is very good for us, this is so that work can now get a bit more serious with FERMA in terms of very prompt maintenance of the roads,” he concluded. The nation anticipates significant strides in road infrastructure development with these approvals.
