FEC approves N309.4bn for Ibadan–Ife, Kano–Katsina dual carriageways, Second Niger Bridge link roads

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday approved N109.4billion for the construction of Ibadan – Ilesha–Ife and Kano–Katsina (Phase two) dual carriageways.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, said this when he briefed State House Correspondents on the outcome of the Council meeting held at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa.

He said N79.8billion of the amount would be expended on the Ibadan – Ilesha – Ife dual carriageway, while the remaining N29.6billion was for the construction of the Phase two of the Kano – Katsina dual carriageway, starting from Gidan Mutun Daya to Katsina Rolling Mill, Katsina.

He said the Ibadan – Ilesha – Ife road project when completed would connect Oyo and Osun states.

“Ministry of Works and Housing presented three memoranda and they were approved for – one, the construction of the Ibadan – Ilesha – Ife dual carriageway that connects Oyo and Osun states for N79.82billion

“The third approval was for phase two of the Kano-Katsina High Way from the point known as Gidan-Mutun Daya all the way to where Katsina Steel Rolling Mill is located.

“This is a 78 km stretch approved at the sum of N29.654 billion. That road is a 172 km road linking Kano and Katsina road from Kano.

“It was a single length highway, until it was awarded in 2013 by the previous administration in phase one,’’ he said.

He further explained that the road project, which was inherited from the previous administration, was expanded into a dual carriageway.

“We inherited it and we have continued to execute it. The award was to then expand the road into a dual carriage highway.

“That means we are constructing the existing one and building another new one. It was awarded for the first 70 km plus for the phase 1.

“What we have now done is to complete the award to the same contractor, so that there is a uniformity of construction,’’ he said.

The minister disclosed that N200.176billion was also approved for construction of link-roads, connecting the second Niger Bridge to Asaba and Onitsha.

“Secondly, for the link-road that connects the second Niger Bridge to Asaba and Onitsha. The Asaba link-road was awarded to Julius Berger and the Onitsha link-road was awarded to RCC Construction at the total cost of N200.176 billion.

“So, this completes essentially the access road that will link the bridge in the short time. You might recall that these roads were under-designed when the bridge was awarded.

“So, it is this administration that completed the design and we now awarded them, so that you can have a bridge that has link-roads.

“This was awarded initially under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and the bridge in 2010 administration,’’ he added.

The Minister of State, Education, Emeka Nwajuba, who also spoke on the outcome of the meeting revealed that the Council approved N915 million for the construction of Faculty of Environment at the University of Abuja.

Another N918million was also approved for the construction of the Faculty of Education at the same University.(NAN)