By Aliyu Dangida
The Federal Government had in six years executed 974 roads covering 13,000km nationwide, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Housing, Dr Babangida Hussaini said.
Hussaini told Hotpen in an exclusive interview that the projects were part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign promises toward boosting socio-economic activities in the country.
According to him, despite the current economic challenges, the government was able to embark on capital projects in addition to rehabilitation of thousands of roads worth hundreds of billions of naira in the six-geopolitical zones.
Babangida explained that the projects that passed through the rigors of due process before approval are of high standard.
Dr. Hussaini said that the ongoing construction of hybrid Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road would be inaugurated in March 2022, while the Shuwarin-Azare road with interchange bridge had been handed over to Jigawa state government.
He explained that other roads under the first and second phases include the busiest Lagos-Ibadan awarded to Julius Berger and RCC has reached 70% completion while the delay in the completion of Kano-Katsina road was as a result of compensation payment, removal of electrical poles, also noted that notwithstanding the activities have achieved appreciable progress.
The Permanent Secretary revealed that plans are at advanced stage to install solar powered street lights at Dawanau market by the federal government to boost commercial activities and enhance security around the market, stressing that on completion the market would have capacity to operate 24/7.
Said he: – “Inspite Covid-19 pandemic and banditry that hindered difficulties in some of the projects, government has sustained efforts to deliver infrastructural developmental projects across the country”.
In a related development, the sum of N362billion was earmarked for the SUKUK Fund project for the execution of road projects across the six geo-political zones from 2018-2021.
While, the sum of N250bn is expected to be spent in the 2022 year for the SUKUK fund project including the Ministry of Capital Development Authority and Ministry of Niger Delta as beneficiaries of the project.