FG Approves N54bn for Reconstruction of Dilapidated Odukpani-Ikot Ekpene Road

 

Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) wednesday approved whooping N54 billion for the reconstruction of popular but collapsed Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene federal highway in Cross River State.

Making this disclosure while briefing newsmen at the end of yesterday’s FEC meeting presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said the ministry presented a memo to the council on the road reconstruction and was accordingly approved.

Fashola who said the road was first constructed over four decades ago, added that the approval for its reconstruction yesterday was an expression of the administration’s commitment to economic growth through the reduction of time being spent on the road.

The minister who said Julius Berger had been tipped as the contractor for the execution of the project, disclosed that the contractor would quickly be mobilised to resume work on the road.

Also briefing journalists, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, said the council approved a memo for the purchase of advisory services in the aviation sector on sundry issues such as the establishment of national carrier; creation of aviation leasing company; establishment of airport city; establishment of maintenance and overhaul centre and concession of Nigerian airports at the cost of N1.5 billion.

In the same vein, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said his ministry submitted a memo on the verification of 2,300 hectare diary irrigation project in Kano and Jigawa States.

He said the project which was started in 1998 under the auspices of Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), had attained 50 per cent completion when the PTF wound up and had consequently been abandoned for almost 20 years.

“There is already a provision in the 2016 budget and it has also been included in the 2017 budget. We are hoping that by the time they finish this budget we will be able to come back to council for approval to continue,” Adamu added.