FGN releases N350bn for capital projects:

By Perekeme Odon

Senator Udo Udoma

The Federal Government of Nigeria on Friday May 14, 2016 pronounced plan to start the plodding release of the sum of N350billion for capital projects comprised in the 2016 budget, Minister for Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma has said.

The minister who made the revelation at the 2016 Budget public presentation at the State House in Abuja, said, “We are ready to kick-start the implementation of the budget and by tomorrow (Friday), some releases will be made for capital projects that are ready for execution,” Udoma said.

On the other hand, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, has said the federal government will need as much as N1.7 trillion to complete about 206 road projects it awarded in the past. Fashola nevertheless said the three ministries under him had only N433 billion allocated for them in the 2016 budget.

 He explicated in this light that the ministry decided to phase the road projects and complete them over the next three years starting from high priority roads.“This is the first step to sustainability. But it is not enough to budget. It is important to implement the budget and use the finances properly,” he said.

He clarified that the precedence of his ministry was to finish as many already awarded roads as possible on the capital projects which include:

1. Dualization of Kano-Maiduguri Road (N13 b)
2. Lagos-Ibadan Express (N40b)
3. Benin-Sagamu Express (N8.7b)
4. Gombe-Numan-Yola (N2.8b)
5. Enugu-Onitsha (N5.5b)
6. Ibadan-Ilorin(N6b)
7. Second Niger Bridge (N13b)
8. Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekp. (N6b)
9. Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa (N4.4b)
10. Sokoto-Tambuwal-Kontagora-Makira (N8.8b)
11. Oju/Loko n Bridge (N14.2b
12. Kano-Katsina (N2.6 b)
13. Sapele-Agbor Ewu (N2 b)

14. Apapa-Oshodi-Oworoshoki (N5b)

Babatunde Raji Fashola

The Minister of Works,Power and Housing,Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) said his ministry had prioritised the roads to be constructed in the country and that such roads should be the ones that would drive the economy and also serve the North and South, East and West as well as give value to ease movements of tankers and other goods. “We have prioritised the roads that get attention to those with the heaviest traffic and economic strategic significance; the roads that evacuate farm produce, airport cargo and passengers, seaport cargo and tank farm petroleum products".

He said another contemplation in the construction of roads would be on the ones that had the heaviest traffic, and those nearing completion that could be accelerated and concluded fast. “The ministry planned in budget 2016 to depart from the practice of yesterday, of giving every road the same amount of money irrespective of whether it is just starting or nearing completion".

He also added that “The Ministry of Works was to get N268 billion, Power N99 billion and Housing N66 billion. So instead of splitting N268 billion over 206 roads in 2016 and not finishing any road, we plan to phase 206 roads over three years and ensure that we complete or substantially progress the completion of existing roads in each of the six geo-political zones,” Fashola explained.