FG Approves $152M For Northern Infrastructure Development 

Moses Ofodeme

The Federal Executive Council, FEC, has approved over US$ 152 million for infrastructure projects in the North Central (NC) & North West (NW) zones. Particularly these funds concern the construction and rehabilitation of various roads in Kano, Kaduna, Jos, and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The roads include the Yakassai-Badume-Damagum-Makinzali Road in Kano, Kaduna-Kanbegua-Jos Road. According to the Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, the contract for the construction of the Kano road has already been awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), while that for the Kaduna-Jos road was awarded to Setraco Ltd.

The Yaba-Kpahe Road in Kwali/Abaji area in the FCT, whose construction is being carried out by Messrs COAN (W.A) Ltd for a set period of 12 months, will also benefit from the approval as well as the construction of one service carriageway of an inner northern expressway from Ring Road III to Ring Road IV towards Abuja Industrial Par by Messrs Salini Nigeria Ltd.

Furthermore, the council approved a memorandum for ratification of the Nigerian Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) II that is based on road safety management, safer roads and mobility, safer road users which according to Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Mr. Clement Agba, “is very paramount, more important than the road conditions,” safer vehicles and then the post-crash care.