159 road projects to gulp N1.39b, says Works minister

Several ongoing road projects across the country risk being abandoned unless the Federal Government is able to raise N921.4 billion.
Briefing State House correspondents after the weekly Cabinet meeting, the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, disclosed that the total portfolio size of all the 195 ongoing road projects spread nationwide is N1.39 billion.
The minister, who presented his ministry’s report for 2012 to the Council, said it will take about eight years to complete the projects if government would depend on annual budgetary provision.
He said: “As at the turn of the century, that is 2001, the Federal Ministry of Works has grossed up a project portfolio in the six geopolitical zones of the country to the tune of about N1.397 trillion.
“And the break down of that portfolio shows that 31 ongoing projects by the Federal Ministry of Works are in the North Central zone, covering a total length of 1,054 kilometres at the total sum of N262.3 billion.
“The North East has a total of 30 ongoing projects covering a total of about 1,461 kilometres at the contract sum of N332.9 billion.
“The North West has a total of 23 ongoing projects covering a total of about 1,028 kilometres at the contract sum of N255.5 billion.
“The South East has a total of 40 ongoing projects covering a total of about 978 kilometres at the contract sum of N149.6 billion.
“The South South has a total of 34 ongoing projects covering a total of about 876 kilometres at the contract sum of N159.4 billion.
“The South West has a total of 37 ongoing projects covering a total of about 1,230 kilometres at the contract sum of N236.9 billion.
“Out of this total portfolio size of ongoing project that has been put at N1.397 trillion, a total of about N523.6 billion has been certified and only about N475.5 billion has been paid, leaving a balance of about N921.4 billion of that portfolio.
“Which means that cumulatively unto the time that portfolio is completed, we will be requiring about N921.4 billion to complete all the over 195 ongoing projects in the country.”
On the 2012 allocation to the ministry, Onolememen said: “The ministry received a total capital budgetary provision of about N143,592,745,847 for the ministry’s capital projects.
“Out of that, N101 billion was released and cash backed.
“Out of the N101 billion, a total of N110,194,309,674 was expended on capital projects.”
Labaran Maku, the Minister of Information, said Council members were delighted with the report.
Maku said: “This nation can be sure that the Federal Ministry of Works is moving ahead to deliver major roads in the country.”