By Lawrence Olaoye
Few weeks to the end of the 2014 fiscal year, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved a fresh N430 billion for 17 roads and bridges across the country.
This, according to the supervising Minister for Information, Nurudeen Muhammed, who briefed State House Correspondents after the FEC meeting chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, would create at least 13,500 jobs for Nigerian Engineers, artisans, technicians and unskilled labour.
The supervising Information Minister in his explanation said “council approved the award of contract for the construction and rehabilitation of 17 No. Roads and Bridges (Categories A and B) in the 1st batch of roads and bridges projects contained in the ministry’s 2014 budget implementation in the total sum of N430,564,974,946.72.
In furtherance of the Strategic Highways Investments for Transformation (SHIFT) embarked upon by the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration since 2011, the Federal Executive Council approved the award of contracts for 17 strategic highways and bridges in different parts of the country, at at total cost of about N430 billion to enhance the ongoing transformation of the road sector, catalyze economic activities and bring about positive social change in different part of Nigeria.”
The roads spread across Borno, Yobe, Gombe, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Nassarawa, Abia, Niger, Kogi, Cross River, Lagos and Kaduna states when completed would benefit the host states economically.
He however disclosed that the budgetary provisions of N11 billion in the ministry’s 2014 Appropriation and N10 Billion from SURE-P for the projects, while the balance will be provided for in subsequent budgets.
Similarly the council approved the award of contracts for the engagement of consultants for post contract supervision of engineering infrastructure to some satellite towns in Abuja.
The FEC also approved the variation cost of over N1billion for the construction of Gbaregolor-Ogriagbene Road in Delta State from the original contract sum of N7,348,355,298.50 to the revised total cost of N8,560,796,627.25.
There is a provision of N2.2bn in the 2014 appropriation for this project. After deliberations, council considered and approved the variation cost in the sum of N1,212,461,328.75 on the contract for the
construction of Gbaregolor-Ogriagbene road in Delta state from the original contract sum of N7,348,335,298.50 to the revised total cost of N8,560, 796,627.25 in favour of Messrs Setraco Nigeria Limited with a completion period of six months,” he added.
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