Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has revealed that the Federal Government is committed to completing all ongoing projects within three years.
He gave the assurance at the weekend after inspecting work at the Loko-Oweto Bridge over River Benue which connects Loko and Oweto communities in Nasarawa and Benue states respectively. The minister also said that the Federal Government would make funds available to pay contractors as soon as they delivered completed projects.
Fashola said,“The Federal Government of Nigeria and President Muhammadu Buhari have expressed very clear commitment to finish the ongoing and abandoned projects. We are focusing on completion of ongoing projects; this is one of those projects.
“Lagos-Ibadan expressway is one of them; Kano-Maiduguri is one of them; Ilorin-Jebba is one and the Second Niger Bridge is also included. All those projects now, the contractors are moving back to sites and work is beginning. Gradually over the next three years we would complete many of them.”
However, the minister stated emphatically that the resumption of construction activities would stimulate expansion of infrastructure, create jobs and generate commercial opportunities for the people.
He added that when completed, the Loko-Oweto Bridge would boost socio-economic activities in Nasarawa State and Benue.
“You will see those who lost their jobs; they would come back to work. You would see increased merchandising and supply of building materials. When this project is completed, it would open up these communities; connect Nasarawa State and Benue; farmers would benefit from the movement and transportation of their farm produce,’’he noted.
Apparently, the successful actualisation of this would help revitalise the plunging state of the economy.
