By Johnbosco Agbakwuru, ABUJA

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Monday, approved a sweeping portfolio of infrastructure and ecological projects across the country, including the rescoping of key federal roads, new road constructions, and the rehabilitation of dams and irrigation schemes critical to national food security.

Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the council meeting, presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, gave a detailed account of the approval of a series of revised and new road contracts across 13 states.

The Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr Emanso Umobong, also outlined government interventions in ecological and agricultural infrastructure.

Umahi disclosed that the Council approved the rescoping and variation of the dualisation project covering the Akure-Eta-Ogbese-Iju-Ekiti border to Ikere-Ado-Ekiti road, spanning parts of Ondo and Ekiti states.

He said, “Fifteen kilometres of the 18.438km stretch will be constructed within available funds at a revised cost of N19.407 billion.”

A similar rescoping was approved for the Sokoto-Zamfara-Katsina-Kaduna dual carriageway, a 375km project inherited from the previous administration.

“The Sokoto to Zamfara section, originally awarded for N105 billion, has now been rescoped to cover 82.4km plus six bridges, still within the same budget,” Umahi noted.

The Council also approved the segmentation of the long-pending 105km Maiduguri-Monguno road in Borno State into phases, with the first 30km awarded for ₦21 billion.

The minister emphasised that the remaining phase would be presented to FEC upon completion of the first segment.

New contracts were also awarded, including the construction of the Abakaliki-Afikpo Flyover in Ebonyi State at N25 billion and the construction of Ikoga Road and Atan-Alapoti-Ado-Odo Road in Ogun State at N37.045 billion.

Highlighting private sector collaboration and tax credit financing, Umahi revealed that the Enugu-Onitsha road project—partly funded by MTN—is being rescoped to 77km and awarded for N150 billion.

In the South-West, the remaining 96km stretch of the Benin-Shagamu-Ore road was approved for construction at a contract sum of N187 billion.

On international funding, the minister announced that the 50km 7th Axial Road project, which includes five kilometres of bridges, has secured $651.7 million in funding from China Exim Bank.

“This road is a strategic evacuation corridor for goods from the Lekki Deep Seaport, including those from Dangote Refinery and Fertiliser Plant,” he said.

The Council also ratified previously announced projects, including the Aba-Ikot-Ekpene road (N30.23 billion), the expanded shoreline protection at Ebute-Ero and Outer Marina (revised to N176.495 billion), and the rehabilitation of the Cham-Numan section of the Gombe-Yola road, now awarded in phases, with N9.253 billion approved for the first phase.

Umahi reported progress on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, saying over 70 per cent of work is completed on Section One.

“Thirty kilometres will be ready for commissioning, Mr President, and 10 kilometres of Section Two are nearing completion. We are also targeting 10 kilometres of completed concrete pavement on the Sokoto-Badagry corridor by May 25,” he said.

He also shared a positive appraisal from international financiers.

“The Dutch Bank and the Development Bank of Southern Africa reviewed the procurement process and project designs. They not only endorsed the process but also stated it was undervalued,” Umahi stated.

Also briefing, Permanent Secretary Dr Emanso Umobong announced the award of three critical dam rehabilitation projects aimed at preventing flooding and supporting irrigation in northern Nigeria.

“The Council approved the rehabilitation and expansion of Tiga Dam in Kano at N11.83 billion, the Shalagua Gorge Dam at N7.47 billion, and the Kafinciri Irrigation Project at N7.4 billion,” Umobong said.

These interventions, she explained, are part of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to ensure food security and wealth creation.

According to Umobong, the projects will positively impact 30,000 farm families and over 50,000 acres of farmland, enabling up to three annual farming cycles and generating over 300,000 jobs.

“Erosion control works, watershed management, and ecological remediation across 16 local government areas of the Kano senatorial district are also part of the project scope,” she added.

Further, she announced the award of a contract for repairs on the Alau Dam in Maiduguri, which had caused severe flooding in 2023.

“This timely intervention by the Ministry of Water Resources will prevent similar disasters this year,” Umobong assured.