FEC approves additional N80b for Lagos-Ibadan road

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•Okays N1.67 billion for Lagos –Kano narrow gauge
equipment
•Panel to review East-West road

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N143.2 billion
contracts for construction of roads and bridges across the
country.

Among these is an additional N80 billion voted for the Lagos
-Ibadan expressway. This will take care of the rehabilitation of 84
kilometers section two (Ibadan to Sagamu) of the nation’s busiest
expressway.

The Council last month approved N64.1bilion to be spent on
section one (Lagos to Saganmu).

Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola stated
this at the end of an eight- hour FEC meeting chaired by Vice
President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa.

Other minister at the briefing are: Minister of Information Lai
Mohammed, Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of
Environment Jibrin Ibrahim, and Minister of Water Resources
Suleiman Adamu.

Fashola said: “The contract awarded to RCC at the cost of N96
billion before is now revised by N80.199 billion to take the total
cost to N176.503 billion. The major component is the change of the
type of bitumen, the swamps that have been encountered, the depth
of the design for the road, which is 1,100 millimeters, roughly
about 43 inches of reconstruction from base.

“As you might know, the road is being expanded from two to three
lanes on both sides. Also we are installing Glover leavers, toll
plazas and service lanes. All these to accommodate the changes that
have taken place, which were not conceptualised when the road was
first built.”

He said FEC also approved N18.87 billion for the rehabilitation
and repair of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.

He said: “The repair of the Third Mainland Bridge was conceived
in 2011 but was not awarded because there were no budgetary
provisions.

“But we have created budgetary provision for it as part of our
national bridge maintenance strategy because our bridges haven’t
been maintained for decades. This was for N18.87 billion to Borini
Promo.

“Essentially, what they will be doing is pile repairs. Piles are
the foundations that hold the bridge. We are starting with the
first 33 piles that are in critical conditions, then another set of
19 piles, and then 44 piles. And a general maintenance of 177 piles
that form the entire foundation of the bridge. The other work is to
replace the expansion joints.” he said.

According to him, Council also approved N38.03 billion to RCC
for the 72 kilometers Ninth Mile to Orukan road in Enugu State.

He said that FEC also okayed award of remedial interventions in
four roads in the country.

The Minister added: “The roads are parts of Jebba-Mokwa road in
favour of CGC for N1.079 billion. Ijebu-Ijesa- Ekiti State border
road in favour of Time Building Construction company for N538
million. Emergency repairs of Ijebu-Ijesha Ekiti State border road
section two in favour of Invest Right Ltd in the sum of N562
million. And the rehabilitation of failed sections of Asaba-Ilaibu
Edo State border road in favour of Setraco Ltd for N830
million.”

The four roads are part of the 44 roads whose approvals were
received.

The remaining 40 roads, he said, were being dealt with at the
ministerial level because of the amount involved.

He said that Council also approved a contract for Ile bridge in
Osun State at the cost of N2.546 billion.

Fashola also said that Council approved memo on behalf of
Transmission Company of Nigeria for purchase of 50 gas circuit
breakers at the cost of N120 million in favour of CG
Industrial.

Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi said that FEC
constituted a committee to take inspection trip to the East-West
road towards completing the project.