[ad_1]
Ismail Adebayo,Birnin Kebbi
The Minister of State for Works and Housing, Mr. Abubakar Aliyu, on Saturday in Kebbi disclosed that the federal government had refunded N143 billion to five states that constructed federal roads.
The minister who was in Kebbi State to inspect federal roads constructed by the state government during a courtesy call to Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, said: “Out of the total distance of roads we have across the country, 34,000 kms are under the jurisdiction of the federal government out of which we are currently working on over 13,000 kms simultaneously with over 800 contracts currently ongoing.
“Before now, some states may find it extremely necessary, because of urgency, to approach the federal government to seek permission to construct federal roads that are within their states. The federal government will give them the permission and they will be reimbursed later.”
He added that before 2016 the Federal Executive Council (FEC) set up a committee to verify and clear road construction executed by some state governments.
“The committee was headed by the Minister of Works and Housing, Hon. Babatunde Raji Fashola, and was able to clear and verify 25 states that built federal government roads in their states,” he said.
The minister said that President Muhammadu Buhari had given approval for the payment of N477 billion, which was shared among the 25 states respectively, adding that this is the third set that Kebbi is among, alongside Yobe and Taraba States.
He said: “As I am talking to you, by tomorrow, the Hon. Minister of Works and Housing will be in Yobe State to ascertain and verify their road construction, while the Hon. Minister of Education will be in Taraba to do a similar job.
“That’s why I am here together with my team today, the secretariat is domiciled in the SGF’s office and that’s why you see me with the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, to come and verify the two roads as requested.”
Responding, the governor of Kebbi State commended the minister for the visit and applauded the federal government for completing one of the legacy roads it inherited, the Sokoto-Tambuwal-Kontagora Road.
The governor said: “This road is one of the most important roads, not only does it link other states with the Federal Capital Territory, but it is the main gateway to Lagos.
“I remember in 2015 when we came in before the completion of the road, whenever we were having security council’s meeting, it was a nightmare for the Emir of Yauri to come, but today, he is always looking forward to coming for the meetings.”
Bagudu stated that the road was one of the numerous uncompleted roads that were inherited by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, which have been either completed or on the verge of completion.
He said the president wouldn’t have achieved that without a formidable team in the Ministry of Works and Housing.
Earlier in his remarks, the state Commissioner for Works, Mr. Abubakar Chika-Ladan, told the governor that he led the visitors on inspection of Dabai-Mahuta-Koko Road, which was constructed in 2006 at the cost of N4.8bn as well as Malando-Garin Baka-Ngaski 45-kilometre road that gulped N2.2 billion in 2007.
[ad_2]
READ SOURCE
