ABDULLAHI RABIU, Kano
THE Minister Of Works and Housing Babatunde Raji Fashola has said that the present administration has employed three Hundred thousand Nigerians through the infrastructural development initiatives of his ministry.
Fashola who made the disclosure on Thursday in Kano in his speech read during the on going Meeting of the National Council on Works held at the Bristol Hotel, in Kano.
He said when he took over as the Minister of works many Nigerians were loosing their jobs from the industrial and Manufacturing sectors because the Country was heading for a recession until when the present government initiated projects and infrastructures that were impactful on the lives of the people.
He said during that period very meagre amount was allocated to the works Ministry as only Eighteen Billion was allocated in 2016 and later increased to two Hundred and fifty thousand in 2017and that was one thousand percent increase in the annual budgetary allocation of the works ministry.
According to Fashola other visible initiatives like the introduction of SUKUK and PBIS were also the initiatives of the present government to tackle the under funding facing the ministry in its laudable foresight to provide succor to Nigerians at all levels.
Fashola who described his Speech as Valedictory in respect of the National Works Council said part of the dividend of democracy is building infrastructures across the land which this administration had excelled .
The Minster said under SUKUK four Hundred and Eighty two km road valued at Four hundred billion was approved and handled by SUKUK and another Six Hundred and fourty two kilo metre roads was approved in 2018 and Seven Hundred and Fifty Seven kilo metre road was awarded also through SUKUK in 2020 and going forward this time are out for completion of ongoing infrastructures.
Fashola stated further that under the Presidential Infrastructural Development Funds the Abuja to Kano road was awarded though still under construction. and all those who traverse the road will tell others how impactful it has became to drivers and commuters.
He said the NNPC intervention covers at least twenty one Road Projects covering all the Six geo political zones. Adding that the Abuja to Keffi Akwanga to Kogi road is 220 km and it is part of the benefits of Multilateral loans we are talking about.
The minister said Nigerians should all thumps up for the present administration and commend the President for a job well done in the area of infrastructural development.
In his address , Kano state governor Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje commend the Minster for works by choosing Kano to be the place were all the top government functionaries in his ministry converged and discussed at length over the state of the nation as it affects infrastructural development.
” On behalf of the government and good people of Kano state i wish to welcome the delegates and congratulate them for making it to this important annual event where issues and problems related to the Nigerian High Way and other relevant infrastructures are discussed and appropriate policies adopted with a view to advancing the overall development of our there Country.”
