The Minister of Works David Umahi says President Bola Tinubu’s administration inherited N14 trillion worth of road projects across the country.
Speaking with reporters at the Presidential Villa, the minister said of the N14 trillion, N4 trillion has been paid to contractors by the current administration.
According to Umahi, there are 2,604 road projects totaling 18,000 kilometres that were left over from the previous administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“The ministry inherited a total of 2,604 projects worth N14 trillion and for 18,000 kilometers of road; that is what we inherited.
“Between when we came on board and now, about N4 trillion has been paid. And so that is a balance of N10 trillion,” he said on Saturday.
“Now, this N10 trillion, we have defined sources that could fund up to N4 trillion. But curious to know that some of these projects have lasted for 20 years, some 10 years. In fact, in most cases, they were never appropriated throughout every tenure,” Umahi said.
The minister stated that President Bola Tinubu had given him permission to cancel some pointless project.
“So, I went to seek Mr. President’s nod so that I will be able to terminate some of the projects that have stayed up to 10 years without any defined source of funding,” he said.
President Tinubu, according to Umahi, has approved a coaster road that will start in Port Harcourt, travel through cities in the north, south, and west central regions, and terminate in Lagos.
He also mentioned the 460-kilometre super highway that was built as part of the public-private partnership (PPP) from Abuja to Lagos.
“We’ve concluded nine roads for concessioning, and we have selected about 17 for Mr President to approve for us to start the due process for concession,” he added.