…Minister promises to submit his findings for consideration by FG
The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, on Monday inspected the Nguru – Machina and Gashua – Yusufari, federal road projects that the Yobe State Government executed for which they are requesting reimbursement.
While speaking to journalists during the inspection, the Minister said President Muhammadu Buhari promised that refund would be made to all states that intervened in Federal Roads though such interventions took place before the advent of this administration in 2015.
He explained that some State Governments got their own refund in the first term of this administration while some others got theirs late last year. However, States like Yobe and Kebbi who were yet to get their own sent their requests to the Federal Government which led to the reconstitution of the Presidential Committee to assess the claims by the State Governments and submit their reports for consideration.
Fashola said in response to a question on the possible amount being expected by the State, “You know that there are standard prices for materials and also standard design, we will file our report based on what we find, we have a method for making quantification and we will send it to the government Cost Control Centre and they will then advice government as to appropriate payment”.
Speaking on the impact of the ongoing special repair of the heavily flooded area in Zangwon Kanwa on Nguru – Machina road by the Federal Government, Fashola described the work as a relief measure for the Community because due to the excavation of some of the construction materials from the area, it was burrowed thereby turning it into a pond which has become the lowest point in the place, a situation that brought a lot of challenges to the people.
He said the current work by the Government is a temporary measure which would be followed by a permanent solution that would be considered by both the State and Federal Government.
The Secretary to Yobe State Government, Baba Mallam Wali expressed gratitude to the Honourable Minister for coming to assess the projects and hoped that he had seen quality work.
Earlier, the Federal Controller of Works in Yobe State, Engineer Olusegun Babalola Akinmade informed the Minister that the repair work in the flooded area in Zangwon Kanwa on Nguru – Machina road will intensify after the raining season. He said the water in the pond will be rechanneled while the capacity will be increased downward by 2 metres just as it is done in residential houses when Septic Tanks are emptied.
The Controller said the situation was so bad before work commenced in the area to the extent that some residents were evacuated.
The Minister was received at the border between Jigawa and Yobe by the Federal Controller of Works in Yobe State, Engineer Olusegun Akinmade and a high level delegation comprising the Speaker of the Yobe State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ahmed Lawal Mirwa, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Baba Mallam Wali, the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Umar Wakili and some traditional rulers. He was accompanied on the inspection tour by the Director Highways, Construction and Rehabilitation, Engr. Folorunsho Esan and the Director Highways, North East, Engr. Celestine Shausu among others.
Boade Akinola
Director Press and Public Relations
