Minister of works, David Umahi, has said that Nigeria needs about N18.6 trillion to fix its road infrastructure within the next four years.
Umahi made this known when he appeared before the House of Representatives committee on appropriation to defend the N300 billion for his ministry from the N2.17 trillion supplementary budget.
According to Umahi, decision of the government to insist on the construction of concrete roads was due to the cost effectiveness and durability.
He stressed that the request for the 2023 supplementary budget became necessary to restore some of the funds removed from the 2022 supplementary appropriation in order to enhance project completion and provide emergency repair works on failed sections roads.
“On the whole, to address our road sector for the four years, we would need about N18.6 trillion and so the National Assembly must have to wear its thinking cap on how we can address seriously our road sector,” Umahi said.
“I also appeal to the NASS that the executive need to respect your motions on certain interventions. We must have a contingency fund. When you ask me to go and intervene on certain roads which have collapsed, and I have to liken the situation to a man on life support.
“The man needs immediate attention. Where there is an emergency the road is cut and the people are suffering, movement is stopped, it needs an emergency. So we appeal for contingency to respect your directives on fixing emergency situation.”
Umahi stressed that the sum of N300 billion proposed for the Ministry of Works was targeted especially to the highway sectors.
This, he said, is to ensure free flow of traffic on the federal roads network to enhance movement especially as yuletide approaches as well as tackle the problem of insecurity.
