FEC approves N39.7bn for road maintenance, erosion control

The Federal Executive Council Wednesday approved  N39.7 billion for road maintenance and award of contract for erosion/flood and pollution control accelerated intervention projects.

This was disclosed at the end of the virtual FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

While N20.925 billion is for road repairs and maintenance, N17.75 billion is for erosion/flood and pollution control projects.

Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, who briefed state house correspondents, said, “The memorandum we presented today was on behalf of FERMA (Federal Emergency Road Management Agency). FERMA is the parastatal of the Ministry of Works and Housing responsible for maintenance of federal roads.

“During the meetings of the Economic Sustainability Committee set up to manage the impact of COVID-19, one of the responsibilities of FERMA is to execute extensive labour works on road repairs and the budget of 2020 was then amended to deal with COVID impact.

“As a result of that, FERMA then had a total of 191 road repairs, road rehabilitation, road intervention projects nationwide. Ninety-two of those projects have been awarded by FERMA at its threshold level. 89 of them have been approved by the ministry at the ministerial tenders board threshold level.

“So, all of those projects are now being issued letters of award, mobilization, and others. Now, there are 10 that require to come to Federal Executive Council because of their financial threshold level. “Out of those 10 projects, three were presented today. So, those three presented and approved by council today was for Gasamu-Hamshi-Gogoram road in Yobe State for N14.528billion to MotherCat, the link road connecting Uneme-Tusamu-Odoga to Okpekpe in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State for N991.851million, and Mamabu Donga Local Government Area road in Taraba South Local Government Area of Taraba State to Wishchina Engineering Limited for N6.397 billion.

“These are the late third quarter, early fourth quarter interventions to respond to the Covid-19 impact on the economy. This will tell you some of the things the Minister of Finance was saying that the Economic Sustainability Plan implementation is what will take us out of recession.

“So, you see efforts to do that and so many other departments doing different things. This is our responsibility.”

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, said, “FEC gave approval for the award of contracts for emergency procurement of first and second quarters 2020 soil erosion/flood and pollution control accelerated intervention projects in favour of various contractors in the sum of N17.754,717,234.41 inclusive of 7.5 per cent VAT with various completion/delivery periods.

The contracts are the gully erosion and control contract along Ndam/Agbor road, Nnobi and Alor towns in Idemili/South Local Government Area, Phase two, Anambra State (to Telesis Limited) N.495,878,764 with the completion date of 18 months The erosion and flood menace beside Yem Kem House along Oye-Ifaki road, Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State awarded to Strabic Construction Ltd at the cost of N792,311,211.11) with completion of nine months The Somolu/Bariga Local Government Area, Akoka/Ilaje community, Akoka-Lagos flood, and erosion control project, Lagos State was awarded to Partibon Services Ltd at the cost of N1.786,146,630.98 and 10 months completion.

Others are “gully erosion control at Egbo-Ideh community, Ugheli South LGA, Delta State (Harris & Dome Nigeria Ltd.) N1,328,306,924.00 – 24 months “Gully erosion control and road improvement work in Darazo LGA, Bauchi State (Powerhill Construction Ltd.) N3,897,577,627.79 – 24 months “Gully erosion control works at Ladanal community, Nasarawa LGA, Kano State (U.Y.K. Nigeria Ltd.) N1,337,681,584.69 – eight-month.

“Devastating effect of gully erosion in Gboko township, Benue State (Gaffar Worldwide Resources Ltd.) N1.503,970.714.83 – 12 months “Erosion and flood control works in Wase and Bashar towns, Wase LGA, Plateau State (Global Legend Integrated Concept Ltd.) N1,687,162,328.95 – 14 months.

“Gully erosion control and road improvement work along Plot 1398, off Kainji Crescent and Katampe Extension, FCT, Abuja (IMB Corporate Synergy Ltd.) N555,569,610.76 – six months.

“Soil erosion, River channelisation and slope protection within Maitama District (Phase II, FCT, Abuja (Masarki Nigeria Ltd.) N1,887,495,486.63 – 12 months “Supply and installation of 12 on site flameless/smell-less incinerator (50kg) for the national blood transfusion centres in some federal medical centres and teaching hospitals (Black Wheel Multi-Links Ltd.) N823.677,900.00 – six months.”

Adesina said that a contract for the supply and installation of six containerised incinerators (250kg) for the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) one in each geo-political zone was awarded. It is a six-month project costing N658,938,450.00.