FEC approves N733bn for Odukpani-Itu, Ibadan-Ilorin road projects

The federal executive council (FEC) has approved N733 billion for road projects in some parts of the country.

Speaking at the end of the FEC meeting on Monday, David Umahi, minister of works, said the projects were approved to enhance connectivity and economic growth in the country.

The minister said the FEC approved N55 billion for the dualisation of the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states, adding that Decon Construction Nigeria Limited was awarded the contract.

Other projects include the dualisation of the Ibadan-Ilorin Road section two in Oyo state awarded at N147 billion and the completion of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road section two for N507 billion.

Umahi said the Abuja Road project was awarded to InfoWest Nigeria Limited, which was involved in sections one and three of the construction work.

The minister also disclosed that a flyover at Abakpa in Enugu was awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) at the sum of N24 billion.

He dismissed claims that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is favouring the southern part of the country in the distribution of infrastructural projects.

Umahi said project approvals by FEC are based on the memos submitted by ministries and should not be viewed as being distributed equitably across regions.

“Let me use one minute to correct an impression created in the senate. There was a time we awarded some projects, and we came here to say the projects that FEC approved, and a senator raised a motion in the house, alluding that more projects were approved in the south than in the north,” the minister said.

“Let me correct that impression because I’m not qualified to write to the senate president to correct it. But the fact remains that it is the memo that comes to FEC that is approved.

“Sometimes a memo can be in favour of a particular region or a particular zone, and so forth. So our briefing here should not be taken as if we are bringing projects in an equitable form.

“The President is committed to completing all the inherited projects. Most of the projects we come here to announce are inherited projects, and the president is committed to continuing them.”