Buhari awards 800 road contracts in 6 years – Fashola
The Muhammadu Buhari administration has awarded 800 contracts since it came on board six years ago, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has disclosed.
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This is even as he has declared that there is no housing crisis in Nigeria but that what the country was battling is urbanization, movement of people from rural areas to urban centres, which creates a demand and supply problem.
Fashola spoke as guest of the weekly ministerial briefing which was organized by the Presidential Communication Team at the presidential villa, Abuja.
On the number of contracts, he said: “The number of contracts awarded is 800 not 800 projects. Sometimes within a road you might have multiple contracts.
For instance, Kano to Maiduguri is five different contracts that are unique. If you look at the Lagos Ibadan, there are two contracts there, for Enugu Port Harcourt there are five contracts there.
So, each one has designated supervising project officer, so in that sense, it is right to say we have 800 plus contracts.”
The minister refuted claims that Nigeria has 17 million housing deficits. He noted that a country with many empty houses cannot be classified as such.
Fashola further stated that even though people squat in the cities, it does not amount to the housing deficit in the country.
He said, “It’s illogical to say we have a housing deficit when you have empty houses. No such deficit exists anywhere in the world.
“We are not in a housing crisis. Housing shortages that exist are in urban centres not in rural areas. The problem is as a result of urbanization where people move from rural to urban centres.”
Fashola said he had consulted with some international organizations including the African Development Bank (AfDP) and confirmed that the Nigerian housing deficit reports are not correct.
He therefore advised Nigerians that the purported 17 million housing deficit in the country should be disregarded.
However, the minister affirmed that the actual housing deficit in Nigeria cannot be ascertained until another census is conducted in the country.
On infrastructural development, he said the administration of Buhari has taken bold steps to execute projects that seemed impossible for previous governments, siting the second Niger Bridge, Lagos Oworinshoki Road, third mainland bridge repairs, Kano-Abuja Road among others.
He also disclosed that the ministry most times suffer a budget deficit as the money due the ministry to meet its contractual obligations is not fully released.
Fashola added that despite the current administration’s achievement in infrastructures, budget deficits remain a challenge.
He explained that for instance, in 2014 he inherited a budget of N18 billion but as of today it has risen to over N200 billion.
Buhari awards 800 road contracts in 6 years – Fashola