The Federal Government has approved a total of N733.89 billion for the dualisation of the Oyo-Ogbomoso Road in Oyo State, alongside several other major infrastructure projects across the country.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the 24th Federal Executive Council meeting held at Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
According to Umahi, the dualisation of the Ibadan-Ilorin Road, Section Two, covering Oyo to Ogbomoso, was awarded for N147.89 billion and will be constructed using reinforced concrete pavement by GRVe Construction.
The FEC also approved, dualisation of Odupani-Itu-Idedem Item-Ikot Ekpene Road (Cross River and Akwa Ibom States) to Decon Construction Nigeria Ltd for N55 billion, the Completion of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road, focusing on Section Two (164km), awarded to InfoWest Nigeria Ltd for N507 billion, the Construction of a flyover at Abakpa near 82 Division, Enugu, to ease congestion, awarded to CCECC for N24 billion.
Providing further insight into the Odupani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene Road project, Umahi explained that the government inherited the road’s three sections from previous administrations.
While CCECC and Somatech accepted a cost review, Julius Berger demanded an upward revision exceeding N100 billion, prompting the government to terminate its contract.
Following a fresh bidding process, Decon Construction secured the contract for N55 billion, significantly lower than Berger’s proposal.
Responding to concerns raised in the Senate about alleged favoritism in project distribution, Umahi clarified that approvals are based on the memos submitted and not on regional considerations.
He noted that many projects were inherited from the previous administration, and President Bola Tinubu remains committed to their completion, regardless of location.
“For instance, today, FEC approved N507 billion for the Abuja-Kano section, while only N24 billion was approved for the Southeast.
Tomorrow, if a large project is approved for the Southeast, no one should claim bias,” Umahi explained.
Meanwhile, the FEC has also approved a N1.09 billion insurance package to cover critical assets and personnel across all federal airports in Nigeria.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, stated that the approval aligns with a directive from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation mandating Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to insure critical government assets.
According to Keyamo, many federal airport assets had been left uninsured, posing risks to both infrastructure and personnel.
The one-year insurance scheme, which includes 7.5% VAT, will be executed by a consortium of five leading Nigerian insurance firms, led by Leadway Assurance Company Ltd, with Cornerstone Insurance Plc, Linkage Assurance Plc, NEM Insurance Company, and Anchor Insurance Plc as co-underwriters.
“This move is essential for Nigeria’s airports to secure International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) certification, ensuring global best practices in aviation safety and labor protection,” Keyamo stated.
