Road Project Completion: Minister Umahi Suggestions N1.5 Trillion Budget for 2024
The Minister of Works, Enator David Umahi, is advocating for a budget increase to N1.5 trillion in 2024 in order to alleviate the funding shortfall that is affecting the completion of road projects around the country.
According to him, the increase is essential to finishing at least ten strategically important roads and bridges in each of the nation’s six geopolitical zones.
The Ministry of Works and Housing, including its Parastatals, was allotted N534,455,695,989 for the fiscal year 2023. Of that amount, the Works and Housing Sectors under the Ministry were given a total capital of N453,255,980,966.
The Federal Ministry of Works was given a capital allocation of N383,351,656,449 following the demerger of the Ministry. Personnel costs came to N6,916,751,203, while overhead came to N525,362,343.96.
In her appearance on Monday before the joint National Assembly joint Committee on Works to defend the Ministry’s 2023 budget and present the 2024 budget, Umahi noted that the Ministry’s current Appropriation is noticeably inadequate. She also highlighted the inclusion of new projects in the 2024 Budget, which total N102,956,624,538.
He stressed that among the 693 new projects the Ministry has planned for 2024, there are important current projects that have already achieved considerable stages of completion that the Ministry may find difficult to complete without the requested increase.
He informed the parliamentarians that 693 new projects have been proposed for the 2024 budget, which is essential for expanding the nation’s socioeconomic activities by improving road network connectivity and, consequently, improving traffic circulation on the Federal Road network.
While noting that the primary goal of enabling the Ministry to fulfil its mandate of establishing a high-quality Federal Road network conducive to the socio-economic growth of the nation, the Minister expressed concern about the main obstacle to highway development—insufficient funding. He claimed that the Ministry has prioritised several projects for completion between 2022 and 2024.
He told the MPs that the Ministry has given priority to a number of projects that are expected to be finished between 2022 and 2024. The Minister voiced worry about the persistent major obstacle in highway construction—insufficient funding—while highlighting the mission-critical objective of empowering the Ministry to carry out its duty in creating a first-rate Federal Road network supportive of the nation’s socioeconomic development.
“21 major road and bridge projects have been completed, and some have been commissioned, while others are ready for commissioning,” he stated, despite all obstacles.
“With a total length of 489.97 km, the completed major road and bridge projects have a total cost of N498,802,362,642.46.