FG approves N2.99b Calabar/Katsina-Ala road contract

The Federal Executive Council on Wednesday approved a contract of N2.99 billion for the rehabilitation/construction of the Calabar-Ugep section of the Katsina-Ala/Ogoja/Ugep/Calabar road.

The earlier section of the road which is already 80 per cent complete, was awarded for N4.6 billion, thus bringing the total contract sum for the entire road to N7.5 billion

Minister of State for Works, Bashir Yuguda, explained that the contractor, Piccolo Brunelli, which handled the first phase, was asked to continue with the extension since it was already on site and had done a very good job.

Yuguda recalled that 'the first phase of the project aimed at addressing the heavily distressed sections of the road while other sections not captured in the original contract scope of works would be addressed when funds became available.

'This is to ensure that government and the public get the full benefits of the investment made on the roads in terms of improvement of the level of service'.

The Council also considered a memo to provide a template for economic analysis of projects before they are included in the budget for appropriation.

According to Maku, this template will also include environmental assessment and will ensure that henceforth, projects must follow masterplan of the federal government's Transformation Agenda.

Although there is existing assessment, FEC intends the new template to constitute a scientific and thorough analysis of projects, and decided to continue further deliberations on the memo at subsequent meetings of the Council.

A FEC committee was also set up to further study the synergy among several factors that come into play in the Public-Private-Partnership involved in power/electricity projects in the country

Nigeria has been elected into the Board of Global Fund for HIV/AIDS following her successful hosting of Abuja+12 summit on HIV/AIDS last month, Maku also announced.

He said that President Jonathan was also appointed as Co-chair of the mini summit on HIV/AIDS to be held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in United States later this year.