The federal government yesterday approved road contracts in Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo states totalling N30.993billion. It also approved a provisional licence for the establishment of first Nigerian Maritime University at Okerenkoko in Delta State. Minister of information, Mrs Patricia Akwashiki, gave the hint, while briefing journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting alongside her counterparts in the Interior Ministry, Abba Moro; Niger Delta Ministry, Steve Oruh and minister of state for industry, trade, and investment, Kenneth Kobani. They also hinted that the East West Road was now 90 per cent completed, adding that President Goodluck Jonathan will tour the road within the next 10 days before the expiration of his administration on May 29. Another approval made by FEC was a report of the ministerial implementation committee on harmonisation of taxes and levies across the federation to end double taxation of service providers who are repeatedly taxed as they move into new states and local governments.
FEC also approved the revised national policy on micro, small and medium enterprises.
The first national policy was in 2007 but it was stalled because many stakeholders refused to key into it.
The new policy is to replace the National Consultative Council with the National Council for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Council.
to ensure that it will be a major contributor to the economy and employment generation.
On roads, Oruh said, “The Council also ratified contracts which were earlier given anticipatory approvals by Mr. President sometime around the end of last year in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs; it has to do with ratification of the president’s anticipated approvals.
“The ministry got four projects ratified by council today.
One has to do with the construction of Zarama-Okodia-Iseni road in Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa State, at the sum of N5.923billion with a completion period of 18 months.
“The second contract approved is the construction of Agadagba-Akotokpo-Isaya-Ovia river and bridge in Irele local government of Ondo State, at the sum of N15.628billion.
“The third is the construction of Ofagbe Udeze-Ozoro road with a spur from Ovwie to Aba road in Isoko North, Isoko South local government areas of Delta State at the sum of N6.675billion with the completion period of 24 months; while the fourth one is the construction of Amasoma-Egbedi road in Okolouma Okpokuma local government area of Bayelsa State at the sum of N2.767billion with a completion period of 18 months”.
Noting that the East West Road project was now 90% completed, the minister said, “You are aware the East West Road is made up of four sections. Section one is from Warri to Kaiyema, section 2.1 and 2.2 is from Kaiyema bridge to Port Harcourt , Section 3 is from Port Harcourt to the beginning of Akwa Ibom and from there to Oron.
“And the fifth section that was introduced is from Oron through Odukpani to Calabar. Most of the old sections from 1-4 have virtually been completed. The second bridge at Patani will be completed with the next one week. Section 1 of that road I can say is 99 completed.
“I travelled on it recently and it took me less than one hour to get to Port Harcourt. Section 2, there is a bridge problem in one area but order than that about 90 per cent of section 2 is completed.
“Section 3 has a new section which was awarded last last year to RCC between zero zero to Onne port because of a lot of challenges which were not part of the east west road project when it was started, because that section was fully developed by the time the east west road projected started.
“It was already duallised but with the new project is going to be three lanes. The center of the road because of the heavy axial trucks, the shoulders of the road is below the road. That was why a new contract was awarded around October last year”
“So if you put everything together, we can say 90 per cent of the road is completed apart from the new section from Oron through Odukpani to Calabar which is yet to be flagged off.
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