FEC approves N1.45trn road contracts

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Monday approved the implementation of road projects in different of the federation worth about N1,455 trillion

Dave Umahi, minister of works, stated this while briefing State House journalists after the meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu

Umahi revealed that some other projects were similarly stepped down in Monday’s session, and the council gave its nod to several projects.

According to him, the roads include the rehabilitation of Abeokuta-Iboro-Ilaro Road in Ogun state, at a contract some of N57bn approved by FEC today for Strabic Construction.

“The second one is the road from Mubi to Maiduguri Road section three. The contract is approved for a total sum of N89bn and this is an NNPC project, it is being reviewed and approved for N89bn total contract sum and that is for MESSRS Decency Associates Limited.

“Then the third project approved today was Mubi to Maiduguri Section Two. The story about this is that we have sections 1,2,3,4. Section 1 is an ongoing project.

Then section 2 was not awarded to a contractor. Section 3 is an ongoing project and then section 4 was awarded to Zephagold. But the governor of Borno state wrote that he is already on this section 4 and the job is about to be completed. So, he requested that we go back to Section 2, where there is no contract ongoing.

“And so by going back to Section 2, it means that the entire stretch of Mubi will have a stretch of ongoing projects. But this section 2 is also very bad. So, we had to re-procure it on rigid pavement. So the relocation is approved.

The relocation is approved for 42km at a contract sum that was awarded before. It’s not increased N67bn inherited from the past administration.

“And then we have the Natalla-Buru in Kano State. We stepped it down to look for funds. There is no funds for it. So, we stepped it down and we liaised with the National Assembly if they would give us funds.

“So, the next one is the Benin-Akure-Ilesha Road, and that’s 150km by two. So, we’re looking at 300km here and the total contracts on his N525bn awarded to HiTech Construction to use concrete pavements to do it. So it’s been approved.

“Then we have the third one; Benin-Akure, by Ilesha. That’s section 2, and that’s 66km awarded to HiTech Construction. To know that this project has been on in terms of procurements in September 2023. It is part of the supplementary budget but because we didn’t have enough funding, we couldn’t present it but now we have three stretches of funding. And that’s why we are presenting it.

“So, this one is 66km and it is dualised for N286bn in favour of HiTech Construction for concrete technology.

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“The next project is Angingali-Udobi-Udona-Umo-Uwana-Ubalaka. And that is in Imo state, and that is a review. It is an NNPC project being reviewed from N14bn to N26.46bn.

“And then you have Ojo-Odum-Okuku Road Benue State is stepped down for review and to be brought back in the next FEC.

“We have another NNPC project and that is the rehabilitation of Aba-Owerri Road, NNPC depot expressway in Abia state, and the project has been reviewed in favour of a rudo Nigeria limited in the sum of N21bn.

He announced that FEC also approved the Ore-Ondo-Akure Road which is under special intervention due to flooding and that is 24 months duration for a total contract sum of N134bn in favour of CBC Nigeria Limited that will use concrete because of the terrain.

“And lastly, you have the Ofin-Oreta Road, Ikorodu in Lagos state and that project is in favour of GRB for a construction period of 18 months for N27.9bn. That’s all that we got approval for today.”

“We have another project going from Odukpani Itu in Ikot-Ekpene in Cross Rivers State and it’s being handled by CCECC. This is one of the companies that we are likely to aggregate all their projects across the country and agree with them on milestone completion and how much they can inject while we now agree on the payment schedule.

“So, this project has been reviewed from N50bn to N79bn because the terrain is very bad. We decided to use reinforced concrete pavement to do the two carriageways.

“Then we have the rehabilitation of Enugu-Port Harcourt again by CCECC. They started the project about four years back at the Port Harcourt axis and they’re going towards Aba the project is revised from N63bn to N83bn in favour of CCECC.

“Then we have Igomu bridge, also an inherited project in a very critical condition, the bearings are gone. You have a concrete-to-concrete contact and a part of the bridge was also burnt. So, we had to do a total procurement to rehabilitate it. And it’s a total of 19.87bn in favour of Buildwell Nigeria Limited.

“We have one project in Umuahia to Aba by Arab Contractors, and that is the Aba section which was stepped down to be reviewed. But the project is 85% in completion.

Then we have the last section of the Ikot-Ekpene road from Akwa Ibom and it’s being done by Julius Berger the project is reviewed from N54bn to N90bn and is to be procured and executed in reinforced concrete.