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FG allocates N20bn to East-West Road in 2014

By on December 26, 2013

There is a strong likelihood that the Federal Government may not be able to complete the critical East-West Road by December 2014.

A perusal of the budgetary proposal for the Ministry of Nigeria Delta entrusted with the responsibility of constructing the East-West Road shows that the Federal Government allocated a total of N20bn to four sections of the road.

For instance, the Federal Government proposed the sum of N5m to the dualisation of the 99-kilometre Port Harcourt-Eket axis of the road under section III, and N1bn to the 51-kilometre section IV, which covers Eket to Oron.

The government also made a proposal N8.5bn for the 87km section 1 (Warri-Kaiama) and N10bn for the 101km sections two from Port Harcourt to Kaiama.

In all, a total of N20bn was proposed for the construction of the four sections of the East-West Road.

The budgetary proposal to the road for the year 2014 conflicts with the position of the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Godsday Orubebe, who had promised that the Federal government would complete the road in 2014.

Orubebe had said that the road was at 65 per cent completion, adding that the government was determined to compete it by December 2014.

The minister said while speaking with journalists on November 5, 2013, that the Niger Delta ministry would require the sum of N140bn to complete the road, which he said had already gulped N209bn.

He said, “When the road project was handed over to us, the ministry was given a paltry sum of N1.2bn. Then, there was no physical drawing or design of the project and the ministry was saddled with the responsibility to make the road a reality. Today, the project is 65 per cent complete and we still need N140bn to complete it.

“This road has to be completed and delivered because of its economic importance to the country. The interest of Niger Delta people and the commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan is to ensure the road is completed.”

 

 

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