Voice Air Media, VAM News Update

THE Federal Executive Council under President Bola Tinubu on Monday revisited and approved 13 road projects in various states of the federation worth about N1.455tn including two major roads in Ondo State.

The projects were mostly those the Council stepped down on July 10 due to a lack of funding.

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, disclosed this while briefing correspondents on the outcome of Monday’s Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.

Umahi said that even though some other projects were similarly stepped down in Monday’s session, the council approved several others.

Umahi said, “The first one is the rehabilitation of Abeokuta-Iboro-Ilaro Road in Ogun state. It’s a contract sum of N57bn approved by FEC today for Strabic Construction

“The second one is the road from Mubi to Maiduguri Road section three. The contract is approved for a total sum of N89bn and this is an NNPC project, it is being reviewed and approved for N89bn total contract sum and that is for MESSRS Decency Associates Limited.

“Then the third project approved today was Mubi to Maiduguri (Section Two). But this section is also very bad. So, we had to re-procure it on rigid pavement. The relocation is approved for 42km at a contract sum that was awarded before. It has not increased. It is N67bn and was inherited from the past administration.”

The others include Benin-Akure-Ilesha Road a 300km concrete pavement dual carriageway with a contract sum of N525bn awarded to HiTech Construction; Benin-Akure, by Ilesha (section 2), a 66km road to be dualised by HiTech Construction for N286bn and the Angingali-Udobi- Udona-Umo-Uwana- Ubalaka road in Imo state being undertaken by the NNPCL, with a contract sum reviewed from N14bn to N26.46bn.

Umahi added, “We have another NNPC project, rehabilitation of Aba-Owerri Road, NNPC depot expressway in Abia State. The project has been reviewed in favour of Rudo Nigeria Limited in the sum of N21bn.

“We have another project going from Odukpani Itu in Ikot-Ekpene in Cross Rivers State, and it’s being handled by CCECC. This project has been reviewed from N50bn to N79bn because the terrain is very bad. We decided to use reinforced concrete pavement for the two carriageways.

“Then we have the rehabilitation of Enugu-Port Harcourt again by CCECC. They started the project about four years back at the Port Harcourt axis, and they’re going towards Aba. The project was revised from N63bn to N83bn in favour of CCECC.”

The minister also announced other projects, which included the Igomu bridge to be rehabilitated by Buildwell Nigeria Limited for N19.87bn; the last section of the Ikot-Ekpene road from Akwa Ibom, whose project sum was reviewed from N54bn to N90bn. The project is to be executed in reinforced concrete by Julius Berger.

“And we have the Ore-Ondo-Akure Road, which is under special intervention due to flooding. It is 24 months long and has a total contract sum of N134bn in favour of CBC Nigeria Limited, which will use concrete because of the terrain.

“Lastly, we have the Ofin-Oreta Road, Ikorodu in Lagos state. That project is in favour of GRB for a construction period of 18 months for N27.9bn,” he stated.

The Ojo-Odum-Okuku Road in Benue State was also stepped down for review at the next FEC meeting, as was the Umuahia-Aba road project by Arab Contractors, which is “85 per cent in completion.”

Meanwhile, the Council approved the purchase of 7,887 dialysis consumables to enhance healthcare access for Nigerians with kidney diseases.

The Minister of Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Work, Ali Pate, who addressed State House correspondents, said the approval aims to address the rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.

The consumables will be distributed across seven federal tertiary hospitals, including the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and the National Hospital in Abuja.

Pate harped on the importance of prevention alongside treatment, revealing plans for public health screenings and lifestyle modifications to reduce future cases of kidney disease.

He explained, “In continuation of the President’s efforts including reducing the cost of access to health care services considering the vast non-communicable disease that we experience in Nigeria, hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease, several vascular diseases, the council today approved the one of purchase of 7,887 sets of dialysis consumables, for the use of Nigerians who are suffering from chronic disease in seven of our federal tertiary hospitals.

“These hospitals are the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, the Federal Medical Center in Ebuta Metta, the Federal Medical Center in Owerri, the National Hospital, Abuja, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, the University Teaching Hospital in Maiduguri and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital in Bauchi.”

Pate said the effort is geared towards making the cost of treatment affordable for those who suffer from integral disease through dialysis.

He said, “It’s a start. However, dealing with kidney disease requires not only dialysis but also prevention. That’s part of the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure that we prevent cases of hypertension, and diabetes that progress to kidney disease. We’re looking at screening so that Nigerians will be able to screen themselves for hypertension and diabetes but also get the lifestyle modification so that we have fewer and fewer people requiring dialysis.

“But for those who are affected, we know that the cost of access to that is a major impediment. This effort by Mr. President is to bring relief within the context of several other policy measures to ensure that Nigerians have access to critical healthcare services.

“With this approval, we’ll provide those and I think it will bring relief to many Nigerians and their families for accessing dances, and services. They’re very much needed in our country.”

The Information Minister, Mohammed Idris, had earlier explained in July that the projects were inherited from past administrations and, therefore, required augmentation. He said that before additional funding, the President had directed a thorough examination of the projects to ensure probity, proficiency, and diligence in their execution, explained the had earlier on July 10.