The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the construction of some of the most critical sections of the Benin- Lokoja Federal Highway, by BUA Group. The arrangement which covers 10 km each in Ekpoma, Auchi and Okpella is to be dualised, which in effect amounts to 60km.
“Mr. President has approved that BUA Group should do 30km of the road in 3 locations multiplied by 2, that is 60km on Tax Credit”, said Engr. Umahi.
The Minister, Sen Engr. Nweze David Umahi, made this known during a meeting with all the contractors handling the Benin- Lokoja road and some stakeholders from the state.
The arrangement is expected to reduce some of the funding gap and bring some speed to the construction process as the Minister wascategorical that it must be delivered within six months which the company also acceded to.
He explained how the Ministry took some steps to review the texture of the pavement of the project to conform to the new innovation introduced by Renewed Hope administration to ensure best standards and durability.
According to him, “I first went through the road in September, and when I went through it, I was very satisfied that BPP and the Ministry did very fantastic work. But all I did was to keep the project but review the texture of the pavement. And so we allowed the existing carriageway to be on asphalt and then reviewed the new carriageway to be on concrete. Being satisfied, so we went through the process of notifying the BPP, and from there, we went to FEC, and graciously, FEC approved, and so we are in the process of signing an addendum to the contract.”
Engr. Umahi commended BUA Group for their interest to handle the construction of the 30 km carriageway under Tax Credit Scheme and said the intervention was targeted at the critical sections of the road as already isolated when he last visited the Benin- Lokoja road.
He stated, “Let me commend BUA plc very highly, because on their own they had indicated interest to do about 30km of the road on tax credit. That was one of the reasons I decided to go and revisit the road to know the section they needed to do and also to open the road. So, we had to open the road. We appealed to the road transport workers, that work would start Monday, the next week. That was 18th, and indeed, we briefed the President, and then Senator Adam Oshiomhole now came with the full weight of his person. “
Speaking on behalf of the people of the area, the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District and Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Adams Oshiomhole praised the determination of the Renewed Hope administration of Mr. President in changing the socio-economic narrative of the nation through aggressive road infrastructure transformation and the uncommon commitment of the Honourable Minister of Works in achieving the vision of Mr. President on road infrastructure development.
The Senator who came in the company of the APC Candidate in the Edo State September 2024 Governorship election and Senator representating Edo Central Senatorial District, Sen. Monday Okpebholo expressed his profound pleasure over the new paradigm in the Federal Ministry of Works, noting that the Ministry under Sen. Umahi has recorded unprecedented performance in the road infrastructure development within the shortest period of time.
Oshiomhole said, ” I was shocked that within 72 hours this Minister did not only hear the word of the President, he packaged what I have seen from the briefing to be a doable and workable approach to solving a problem that four or five ministers before him could not solve. So I wish to ask us to appreciate his energy, his drive, and his focus, without which we will not be here today.”
In their separate remarks, the Governorship candidate of APC in Edo, Sen Monday Okpebholo said, “Mr. President has rekindled our hope. Just within the shortest time of our request to the Honourable Minister, magic has been done, if this is how Nigeria works; everybody will want to come back home, nobody will want to ‘japa’.”
On his part, the Group Executive Director of BUA Group, Kabiru Rabiu, assured of the commitment of the company in delivering the project within a record time. In his vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works, Yakubu Adam Kofaramata,PhD, appreciated Mr. President for the new narrative in the Federal Ministry of Works, which is made possible by the appointment of a workaholic and highly committed Honourable of Works.