The announcement of palliative road projects set to commence across the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) before December 1, 2023, was made by the Federal Minister of Works, Dave Umahi. This decision comes in response to the growing concerns of the public regarding the deplorable conditions of several Federal roads across the country.
This crucial information was conveyed through an official statement released by the Ministry of Works on Monday and is available on the ministry’s website. In his address, Minister Dave Umahi highlighted that the current administration inherited numerous deteriorated sections of roads nationwide. These include major routes such as the Makurdi-Nsukka 9th Mile Road, East-West Road, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Benin bypass road, collapsed bridges on the Enugu-Port Harcourt road, collapsed bridges on the Shandam-Plateau State route, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road, and Gombe-Bauchi, among others.
Umahi further disclosed that President Tinubu had approved N100 billion, out of the N300 billion allocated to the Ministry of Works, for immediate palliative measures in all 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Emphasizing the urgency, he stated, “Mr. President has directed that works in those palliative projects must commence before 1st December 2023, while observing all due process.”
Addressing the concerns raised by the public, Umahi assured that President Tinubu had singled out the frequently complained-about road sections and directed immediate action. According to Umahi, work has already commenced on these roads, and the public is encouraged to verify these claims and provide feedback.
In addition to announcing the commencement of palliative road projects, Minister Umahi also called on the public to actively participate in supervising the contractors engaged in these projects and other ongoing government-funded initiatives. He stated, “It is the right of every Nigerian to have value for their money deployed to the road infrastructure sector and therefore must show both interest and passion in all the ongoing projects by the Federal Ministry of Works and FERMA, and indeed all projects of the Federal, State, and Local governments.”
Umahi provided contact numbers (08030986263, 08037086137, or 08106423197) for reporting poorly constructed roads. Citizens are encouraged to include details such as the name of the contractor, location and type of contract, and observed defects in their reports. The Federal Ministry of Works will document and verify these reports, taking effective action to rectify any infractions. Additionally, the ministry plans to publicly recognize individuals who submit genuine reports during quarterly engagement forums, while also publicly sanctioning erring contractors.
This proactive approach by the Federal Government not only addresses the pressing issue of deteriorating road infrastructure but also emphasizes the importance of citizen involvement in monitoring and improving public projects.
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