The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi has said that N18.6 trillion is needed to fix the road sector in the next four years.
He said this on Wednesday when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation to defend the N300 billion for the Ministry of Works from the N2.176 trillion supplementary budget.
Umahi also appealed to the National Assembly for the provision of contingency funds for the Ministry to deal with emergency situations as it pertains to the roads.
He reiterated his earlier call for the construction of concrete roads, saying it is less expensive and more durable.
He said 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.
Umahi said the sum of N300 billion proposed for the Ministry of Works is targeted especially to the highway sectors to ensure free flow of traffic on federal road networks especially as the yuletide approaches.
“On the whole, to address our road sector for the four years, we would be needing 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. I also appeal to the NASS that the executive 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 situations,” he said.
