By Muhyideen Jimoh
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Thursday approved major road contracts and project reviews valued at over N400 billion to enhance road infrastructure across the country.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Umahi said he presented 11 memos, nine of which were for review of inherited projects, while two were for new contract awards.
He said the council approved the award of Lagos–Ibadan Expressway Phase Two, Section Two, at the cost of N43 billion, to address failed portions and complete underpasses and ramps.
“We also got approval for the dualisation of Mushin–NNPC Junction–Papa Oshodi Expressway, which was reviewed from N11 billion to N19 billion due to cost differentials,” he said.
The minister added that the council approved the construction of Section Three of the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway, covering 162.97 kilometres from Badagry through Ogun to Oyo State border, at a cost of N3.39 billion per kilometre.
He said several ongoing projects inherited from previous administrations were reviewed for funding and design adjustments, including the Ilorin–Omu Aran–Egba road and the old Enugu–Onitsha road.
According to him, the 216-kilometre Ilorin–Omu Aran–Egba road has been phased, with 31 kilometres to be executed under Phase One at a cost of N43 billion, while the remaining 184 kilometres will follow when funding improves.
He explained that the East–West Road project was redesigned to improve traffic flow and pavement strength, with Phase One maintained at N156 billion for dual carriageways and bridges.
Umahi said several state governments had also taken over federal road projects within their jurisdictions to ease funding pressure and speed up delivery.
He announced the review of the Ota–Idi-Iroko road project in Ogun State, which now features rigid concrete pavement and an additional bridge, bringing its cost from N38 billion to N52 billion.
The minister further said FEC approved the rehabilitation of Jos–Turunkun–Maraban–Jama’a road in Kaduna State for N30 billion, as well as the reconstruction of Ijebu–Ibu Ete–Egba–Owena road in Ogun and Ondo States for N53 billion.
He reiterated the Tinubu administration’s commitment to concrete-based road construction for durability and cost efficiency.
“Our focus remains delivering durable road infrastructure to support economic growth and ease of movement across the federation.” (NAN)
