FEC Approves N58.4bn For Construction of Bida-Sach-Nupeko Road, Others

• FEC Approves N58.4bn for Construction of Bida-Sach-Nupeko Road, Others

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved N58.4 billion for the construction of Bida-Sachi-Nupeko road and the Nupeko-Patigi Bridge across River Niger, linking Nupeko and Patigi in Niger and Kwara states.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this after the meeting presided over by Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo.

Speaking on the terrible state of federal roads, Mr. Babatunde Fashola said, “The roads are not as bad as they are often portrayed. I know that this is going to be your headline, but the roads are not that bad”.

However, the minister said limited funding held back a lot of road projects. He also explained that some regions have issues like high water level that made construction almost impossible during the rainy season.

Fashola listed some of the regions as South-East and the South-South.

Commenting on Fashola’s assessment of Nigerian roads, Ibrahim Usman, the Chairman, Infrastructure Development Committee, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, said the roads were very bad and accused the minister of being economical with the truth.

He said, “I think the minister is being economical with the truth. The roads are terrible. Take for instance the Biu to Gombe road that took one-and-a-half hours in the past to ply, now it takes four hours to get from Biu to Gombe. The luck we have is that Boko Haram has not stuck on that road.

“Another terrible road is the Damaturu-Biu road. That also takes four hours when in the past it took less than two hours. That was where military trucks and equipment were seized and taken into the bush by bandits some weeks back. At least if the roads are good, cars can move with speed but when the roads are terrible, movement is difficult and it is easy for robbers to attack.”