The Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved N873.23 billion for the execution of three projects across the country by the Ministry of Works.
Works Minister Dave Umahi, who dropped the hint in a chat with reporters at the State House, Abuja, after the FEC meeting, listed the projects as the Obajana-Benin Road; Isheri-Ogun Road and the Outer Marina Shoreline protection.
The minister also said the rising cost of cement has nothing to do with his ministry’s concrete road policy.
Speaking on the approvals given by the Council based on his ministry’s memoranda, Umahi said the approval covers an additional N757 billion as augmentation for the dualisation of the 489-kilometer Obajana-Benin Road; N2.23 billion for the Isheri-Ogun Road and N114 billion for the Outer Marina Shoreline protection.
He said: “Today we’ve got augmentation approved for Obajana in Lokoja to Benin Road, a total of 244-km and 489-km dualized. Recall that in 2012, this project was awarded to four contractors – CGC; Mothercat; Dantata & Sawoe and RCC at a total cost of N122 billion and that was for light rehabilitation.
“Around 2018, the past administration reviewed the project and dualised it and that’s why you have a total of 489-km and now got ‘No-Objection’ from the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPP).
“When I came on board in August, we were supposed to present the ‘no-objection to FEC in line with due process and we decided to review the project, one, to determine whether the dualisation was desirable in view of the economic challenges and two, to see the texture of the soil and what to do.
“We had to restore the project now, but we didn’t increase the cost. We got approval for argumentation from N122 billion to N897 billion. The contractors were off-site because they would not be working and they would not be paid based on the new basic rate. We got them back to the site and today (yesterday) we got approval”.
The Council also approved N2.23 billion for the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency for the rehabilitation of the road from Isheri North to Ogun State.
“Now, under FERMA, we got approval for the construction of Isheri North, Lagos route, which is to connect Ogun State. This is an alternative route to Lagos – Shagamu Road and we’re going to toll this Lagos-Shagamu when completed. But by law, you only toll a federal road when you have an alternative.
“This approval of about N2.23 billion to connect Isheri North to Ogun State is a breakthrough that has freed the Lagos-Shagamu for tolling”, he revealed.
Explaining the Council’s approval for the N114 billion Outer Marina shoreline protection, Umahi said: “The shore protection was done over 50 years back with sheet piles and we had to take the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, on a tour with Julius Berger through the entire shoreline of 3.92 billion.
“We took the tour with Julius Berger, CCECC, CBC and BuildWell, and demanded for them to inspect and then give us their proposal. Only BuildWell and CCECC brought their proposals.
“Whereas CCECC was quoting on 3.2-km at N134 billion, BuildWell was quoting on 3.9-km at N114 billion. We sent the two to BPP and BPP found merit in BuildWell because of cost and, of course latest technology in doing shore protection using interlocking concrete, which will not be subject to rusting. We got approval for Build Well in the sum up N114 billion”, he explained.
Umahi said the shoreline protection project was necessary given its proximity to the recently inaugurated Red Line and other existing structures in the area.
He added that his ministry sought to leverage the low-water levels of the dry season to drive piles down the shore.
On insinuations that his ministry’s concrete road construction policy triggered the hike in cement prices, the minister said the cost of cement production should be blamed.
According to him, concrete roads will not phase out traditional asphalt roads but only serve as an alternative for sites with high water tables and poor conditions.
He said: “This assertion is highly misplaced because the policy has not even taken off”.
Umahi made reference to the documents showing that Dangote Cement Plc, BUA Cement Plc and Lafarge Africa Plc spent N598.14 billion on power during the full year ended 31 December 2023.
He said: “I just got a document this morning where three companies producing cement, Dangote, BUA and Lafarge, said in 2023, the total cost of their gas rose by over 42 per cent.
“If the cost of their gas rose by 42 per cent and then the import duty exchange rate has also gone up, it is expected that the cost of cement would go up”.
“But Mr. President has discussed with them and I think, there are a couple of incentives being made available to them which should reduce the cost of cement.
“In Sokoto, where I visited recently, the BUA Executive Director said that the ex-factory was N6000 and that was down from 8000.
“We are getting there because Mr. President has directed them to reduce the price and they have to comply and I think Mr. President has also offered them some incentives to them.
“It is not because we are going from asphalt to concrete. And we are not totally leaving asphalt. It is just an alternative, especially where we have a very high water table and then a very poor sight condition”.
