FG to complete all ongoing projects in 3 years, Minister says

dimeji akinloye

June 19, 2016 4:35 PM

He said that the Federal Government would make funds available to pay contractors as soon as they delivered completed projects.

Babatunde Fashola

Minister of Power, Works and Housing,

Fashola gave the assurance on Saturday, June 18, after inspecting work at the Loko-Oweto Bridge over River Benue which connects Loko and Oweto communities in Nasarawa State and Benue respectively.

"The Federal Government of Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari have expressed very clear commitment to finish the ongoing and abandoned projects.

"We are focusing on completion of ongoing projects; this is one of the many ongoing projects.

"Lagos-Ibadan expressway is one of them; Kano-Maiduguri is one of them; Ilorin-Jebba is one of them and the Second Niger Bridge is one of them.

"All those projects now, the contractors are moving back to sites and work is beginning. Gradually over the next three years we would complete many of them’’, the minister said.

Fashola expressed the confidence that the resumption of construction activities would stimulate expansion of infrastructure, create jobs and generate commercial opportunities for the people.

He said when completed, the Loko-Oweto Bridge would boost socio-economic activities in Nasarawa State and Benue.

"You will see those who lost their jobs; they would come back to work. You would see increased merchandising and supply of building materials.

"When this project is completed, it would open up these communities; connect Nasarawa State and Benue; farmers would benefit from the movement and transportation of their farm produce.

"I am optimistic that we would get this project completed in 2018,’’ Fashola noted.

READ: Nigerians criticize Fashola over drop in electricity generation

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Loko-Oweto Bridge contract was awarded to RCC Nig. Ltd. in November 2011 at N36. 1 billion with original completion date of Nov. 15, 2015.

The project was stalled in 2014 due to lack of funding and currently, at a revised contract sum of N51.6 billion, the project is scheduled for completion in 2018.

dimeji akinloye