MINISTER-FG needs N30bn to complete East-West Roads

FG needs N30bn to complete the East-
West road project.
The Supervising Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Darius
Ishaku, said this when he received members of the Subsidy
Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme sub-
committee on the East-West road.
Ishaku said in spite of the budgetary provision and funds
from the African Development Bank, there is a gap of N30bn
still needed.
The News agency of Nigeria reports that the Federal
Government obtained N50bn from the AfDB for the project.
He reiterated the ministry’s plans to approach the
Infrastructure Development Bank to ensure the completion
of the project.
He commended the efforts of the Federal Government in
securing funds from the SURE-P and called for regular
disbursement.
He said that the ministry would strengthen its cooperation
with the SURE-P to ensure the completion of the project.
NAN reports that the project, which was started in 2010, has
a total contract sum of N349.9bn.
NAN further reports that out of the money, N250bn has
been disbursed.
The 338-kilometre road stretches from Effurun in Delta to
Oron in Akwa Ibom and cuts across four states in the Niger
Delta region.
The design for the project has 42 bridges and 786 culverts,
which are divided into five sections.
The ministry said the project was 70 per cent completed
after an assessment of the level of work done by the
contractors.