The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of N87.538bn for the construction of roads in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Oyo, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Benue states.
FCT Minister, Muhammed Musa Bello, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja after the 22nd virtual FEC meeting presided by President Muhammadu Buhari at Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the contract for the roads in the FCT was awarded to Messrs Gilmor Engineering Nig. Ltd, at the sum of N30.6bn with a completion period of 32 months.
The ministet added that the council approved the contract for the full scope development of Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Way to the Northern Express Way (Murtala Mohammed Way) popularly known as Kubwa Expressway.
He said the project area is within Phase II of the Federal Capital City (FCC), serving as boundary road between the adjoining districts of Mabushi, Kado, Katampe and Jabi.
Also speaking, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola said FEC approved a variation of N47.504bn for the completion of the 52km Oyo-Ogbomosho highway which is a part of the Ilorin-Ibadan 145 kilometers highway.
The minister said the variation had increased the total contract to N105.041bn.
He said: “We needed to adjust some things in the scope of work, the thickness of the pavement from 500mm to 560mm to also change the asphalt to polymer-modified bitumen and also the shoulders from surface dressing to fully asphalted inside and outside shoulder.
“So, all these required changes in prices of N47.504bn.” He added that the road contract was awarded in 2010.
Fashola said the council also approved a N9.348bn variation to complete Loko-Oweto Bridge that links Nasarawa to Benue State, adding that the development had changed contract price from N51.621bn to N60.961bn.
He said the bridge across the River Benue that links Nasarawa and Benue states and provides a major time saving detour, about four hours, for people trying to come from South South, Benue, through to Nasarawa to Abuja.
“That project was awarded in 2011 and it was awarded in three different sections – one section, the road to Benue…to Oweto, was awarded to one contractor, we have completed that road.
“The bridge was awarded to another contractor, the bridge is essentially finished now. It’s open to traffic.
“And then, Lokko to Nasarawa, 74 kilometers, was awarded to another contractor. We are trying to sort out that problem and we will come back to it.
“So, the approval given today was a N9.348bn variation to complete the bridge component or remaining work on the bridge.
