Flood: FEC approves N506bn for reconstruction of East-West road

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of N506 billion for the reconstruction of the East-West road.

The council gave the approval at a meeting on Wednesday, presided over Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, in Abuja.

A stretch of the road, leading from Ahoada, Mbiama to Bayelsa state, was cut off, due to the flooding events that ravaged the country in recent months.

During the FEC meeting, the allocation for the reconstruction of the road was increased from an initial N246 billion to N506 billion.

Briefing state house correspondents, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo’s spokesperson, said Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing presented a memo that showed the federal government’s engagements in resolving flooding and bringing succour to victims.

“He got approval for the variation order in respect of repair works on the East-West road project affected during the recent flooding occurrences in the Niger Delta,” Akande said.

“So the approval was for a variation order for the East-West road project sections 1-4 from Warri to Port Harcourt, Eket, Oron, including Oron-Eket bypass in the sum of N260 billion, thereby increasing the total contract sum for the outstanding sections 1-4 of the East-West road projects from the sum of formerly N246 billion to N506 billion.”

Akande added that the ministry also got approval for the award of contracts for the urgent repairs, and general maintenance of a few roads nationwide.

“This includes the construction of Gogora Guru road in Yobe state, in the sum of N40 billion, with the completion time of 36 months,” he said.

“He also got approval for the rehabilitation of the 90 kilometer Buni Gari Gulani road also in Yobe state in the sum of N4 billion with a completion period of 36 months.

“Regarding urgent repairs, and in some of these roads also for the reconstruction of water cooperation drive at Trinity Avenue Victoria Island Lagos state, that too was also approved in the sum of N2 billion with a completion period of 36 months.

“Finally, the minister for housing also got approval for the award of contract for the dualisation and reconstruction of the Kano-Kwana-Ganja-Adeja road in Kano and Jigawa states, section Kano to Salu. This was approved in the sum of N94 billion inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT with a completion period of 24 months.”