From Suleiman Abubakar
In a landmark decision, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has granted approval for the construction of 28 critical roads and bridges nationwide, totaling an impressive sum of 1.267 trillion Naira.
The announcement was made by the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, following the conclusion of the FEC meeting held on Monday. Umahi affirmed that these projects underwent rigorous scrutiny, receiving clearance from the Bureau of Public Procurement and securing Certificates of No Objection.
Among the notable projects approved by FEC include the construction of the Buruku bridge spanning the Katsina Ala River in Benue State, valued at over 83.7 billion Naira.
Additionally, approval was granted for the construction of a 91.432-kilometer road in Saki, Oyo State, with an estimated cost of 144 billion Naira.
However, FEC also endorsed the postponement of the construction of the Biu-Kanga-Gaya road leading to the border of Niger Republic, a venture estimated at around 158 billion Naira.
In a strategic move to address Nigeria's infrastructure deficit, FEC further sanctioned the establishment of an Infrastructure Fund, christened the Renewed Hope Infrastructural Fund.
This initiative comes in response to projections indicating a staggering requirement of over 878 billion dollars to bridge the infrastructure gap in the country.
The approval of these projects and the establishment of the Renewed Hope Infrastructural Fund signify a pivotal step towards enhancing Nigeria's infrastructural landscape, fostering economic growth, and improving the quality of life for its citizens.
