The Federal Government has concluded plans to award contract for reconstruction and rehabilitation of 69 highways nationwide.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola said this at an interactive session with members of 21 Civil Society Organisations and the media on Friday in Lagos.
Some of the civil society groups include Centre for Democracy and Social Economic Rights, Alliance for Good Governance, Grassroot Democratic Initiative and Centre for Social Economic and Human Rights
Fashola said that 25 roads would receive attention soon as bid processes to deliver the Sukuk bond were almost completed.
“Each zone of the country is getting N16.67 billion and they are going to those major arterial roads that take us from the Ports to the Sahel.
“We have lost some time because we have to follow due process. Since the Sukuk was agreed we had to follow due diligence,” he said.
He said that with the dry season ahead, a lot of construction would be witnessed nationwide.
He said that 44 other roads captured during a nationwide tour of roads were also under procurement process.
“If we complete the procurement we would award the contract to cover six zones of the country,” he said.
The minster expressed hope that all the 69 roads to receive attention would become motorable within a short time.
Fashola sought public support in the fight against illegal mining of sand on road edges and other forms of road abuses.
He expressed worry against activities of illegal sand miners who dig up road verges (edges) to cause rapid road degeneration and collapse of federal highways.
