The 73-kilometre Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road in Abia and Akwa Ibom States is one of the 21 federal roads approved by Federal Executive Council for reconstruction across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) had decried the loss of its members and properties to dilapidated roads, but NNPC appealed to the union to shelve the planned strike and accepted to rebuild some of the roads.
Consequently, FEC approved N621.2 billion for Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to fix the 21 federal roads.
Also, FEC has approved the rehabilitation of a 49-kilometre Umuahia (Ikwuano)-Ikot Ekpene Road as well as Umuahia-Umudike Road in Abia State.
The rehabilitation of 21.9-kilometre Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road in Cross River State Section of Odukpani-Itu Bridge Head in Cross River/Akwa Ibom States got the nod too.
Moreover, FEC equally approved the dualization of outstanding portion of the 2.32 kilometre Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene and 28-kilometre Oku-Iboku Power Plant Section of the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot-Ekpene Road.
Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing, stated this after the FEC meeting presided by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday.
The approval, according to Fashola, was in line with Executive Order No. 007 of 2019 cited as the companies income tax (Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme) Order, 2019 (“EO7 of 2019” or “the Scheme”), signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He explained that the selected 21 roads are 1804.6 kilometres, and it was a strategic intervention under the Federal Government Road Infrastructure and Refreshment Tax Credit Scheme.
The Works Minister further explained that Executive Order 7 allows the private sector to deploy in advance the taxes they would pay for infrastructure development.
He said nine of the selected projects are in north-central, three in north-east, two in north-west, two in south-east, three in south-south, and two in south-west.
FULL LIST
NORTH-CENTRAL
- Dualization of Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa/ Bokani Junction road Section 1: Ilorin-Jebba, Kwara State C/NO. 6468. 110.8km
- Dualization of Ilorin, Jebba-Mokwa/Bokani junction Road Section II: Jebba-Mokwa-Bokani junction in Kwara and Niger states. C/NO.6469. 46 km
- Dualization of Suleja-Minna road, Niger state. C/O. 6077. 40km
- Dualization of Suleja-Minna Road, Niger State PhaseII (Km 40+000-101+000) C/NO.6267. 61km
- Reconstruction of Bida-Lambata Road, Niger state C/NO.6372. 125km
- Agaie-Katcha-Baro Road, Niger State 52.3km
- Emergency repairs of failed section of Mokwa-Makera-Tagina-Kaduna state border in Niger state. 164km
- Minna-Zungeru minna-Zungeru-Tagina road, Niger state. 90km
- Bida-Minna road, Niger state. 791.1km
NORTH-EAST
- Rehabilitation of Cham-Numan section of Gombe-Yola road in Adamawa state. 46.35km
- Construction of Bali-Serti road in Taraba state. 110km
- Rehabilitation of Gombe-Biu road in Gombe/Borno state. 117km
NORTH-WEST
- Rehabilitation of outstanding sections of Gada-Zaima-Zuru-Gamji road Phase II in Kebbi State 62km.
- Rehabilitation of Zaria-Funtua-Gusau-Sokoto-Birnin Kebbi. 221.5km
SOUTH-EAST
- Dualization of Aba-Ikot Ekpene road in Abia/Akwa Ibom states. 73km
- Rehabilitation of Umuahia (Ikwuano)-Ikot Ekpene road: Umuahia-Umudike in Abia state. 49km
SOUTH-SOUTH
- Rehabilitation of Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road in Cross River state Section I: Odukpani-Itu Bridge Head in Cross River/Akwa Ibom states. 21.9km
- Dualization of outstanding portion of Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene: lot 2. 32km
- Dualization of Oku-Iboku Power Plant Section of the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot-Ekpene road in Cross River/Akwa Ibom state. 28km
SOUTH-WEST
- Rehabilitation and expansion of Lagos-Badagry Expressway (Agbara Junction-Nigeria/Benin border) in Lagos State. 62km
- Dualization of Ibadan-Ilorin road (Route A2) Section II in Oyo State (Oyo-Ogbomosho). 52km.
