The Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen has debunked allegations that the Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Works are at loggerheads with some State Governments, thereby resulting to the abandonment of federal road projects in those States. The disclosure was made when some members of the House of Representatives Committee on Works from Rivers, North-Eastern and North-Western States alleged that the projects in their areas have been abandoned by the Federal Government.
The Minister, while defending the Ministry’s budget before the House Committee on Works recently insisted that there is no political trace to their accusations, adding that the Executive has no issue against Rivers State or any other state of the federation.
Mike Onolememen further noted that the Ministry was allocated N128.244 billion in the 2014 budget which has a shortfall of N62.6 billion from what it got in 2013; explaining that it would be difficult for the Ministry to embark on new projects, but to continue with on-going roads and bridges projects across the six geo-political zones of the country.
He adduced reasons for many abandoned road projects in the North-Eastern part of the country to difficulty in mobilizing contractors to the various project sites, occasioned by security challenges in the region. He also hinted that the dualisation of the Ninth Mile – Ajaokuta and Obajana – Abaji – Lokoja Road Sections I and II were some of the road projects which the Ministry would ensure completion as scheduled in the present year.
“There were some challenges with the contracts which were awarded last year. The contractors could not access their money as at when due from the Ministry of Finance, but efforts are on the way of effecting amends,” the Minister indicated. On the breakdown of the Ministry’s appropriation, he revealed that N161 billion was proposed for capital projects with the Ministry having N141billion and the agencies N201billion.
While speaking earlier, the Chairman of the House Committee on Works, Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi lamented the poor budgetary allocation to the Ministry, maintaining that the envelope system of budgeting whereby allocations are made to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) is unacceptable.
The Works Minister was accompanied to the budget defence by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Abubakar Koro Muhammad as well as the Director of Finance and Accounts, Ibrahim Tumsah and other top management staff of the Ministry.
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