Nigerian Govt requires N3trn to complete NNPCL-funded road projects – Umahi
Minister of Works, David Umahi, says the Federal Government needs at least N3 trillion to complete road projects awarded under the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL, tax credit scheme.
Umahi made this statement while addressing journalists on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said that following the NNPCL’s decision to halt funding from August 1, President Bola Tinubu directed the ministry to explore alternative sources of financing to ensure no project is abandoned.
“Our President is a man with a large heart. Despite the funding stoppage by NNPCL, Mr President, as Chairman of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), directed that alternative funding mechanisms be put in place to ensure completion of all projects,” Umahi said.
According to him, the ministry has compiled a list of all affected projects and will present them to the President for consideration under Public-Private Partnership, PPP, where applicable, especially for contractors with capacity and funding.
“We are going to prepare a memo to the President on that,” he said.
Umahi also said that work has begun on the Benin-Warri, Benin-Asaba road to the first Niger Bridge, the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road and the Bayelsa and Delta axis have been
He added that in the North Central,the Koton Karfe and the Keffi bridges,the Katsina-Ala road project through Benue has also been approved for execution.
Umahi said the Kabba-Ekiti road was also ongoing as well as the Benin by pass road in the South-South.
He said that there were a lot of emergency projects in the Northeast,in Gombe, Bauchi to Azare area and the long stretch of Kano to Maiduguri.
Other ongoing projects, he said, are the Bauchi to Jigawa,Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi,Gombe-Bauchi,Kwara-Jebba,Mokwa roads.
On his part, the Minister of State for Works, Malam Bello Goronyo, applauded president Tinubu for his unwavering commitment to road infrastructure.
He also commended the media for showcasing the work of the ministry and urged them to always verify information before going to press to avoid fallacy.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Olufunsho Adebiyi, stated that the claim of marginalisation in road projects was not true, stressing that there were many factors that determines the cost of fixing a one kilometre road.
Nigerian Govt requires N3trn to complete NNPCL-funded road projects – Umahi
