The Federal Executive Council has approved a combined N1.02tn for major road construction projects and health infrastructure, including N74.51bn for the upgrade of the East-West Road linking Port Harcourt to the Onne Port Junction in Rivers State and N302.30bn for a new National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment Centre in Abuja.

The approvals were disclosed on Wednesday by the Minister of State for Works, Bello Goronyo, and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, during a briefing with State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Goronyo said the Ministry of Works submitted seven memoranda to the council, with all seven receiving approval.

“The Federal Executive Council today considered about 50 memos, and the Ministry of Works came up with seven memos, six on road construction, and one on trailer parks,” he said.

One of the approved road projects is the reconstruction of the Ado-Ekiti-Iyin-Aramoko-Itawure-Osun State border road. The contract was awarded to Messrs CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Nigeria Limited for N159.83bn, with a 24-month completion period.

The council also approved variation orders for the rehabilitation of the Abeokuta-Iboro-Ilaro Road in Ogun State. The changes involve replacing the existing rigid concrete pavement structure with flexible asphalt. Messrs Strabic Construction Limited was awarded the contract at N54.118bn.

Speaking about the condition of the East-West Road, Goronyo said, “There is a section that is very bad now, and we believe with the approval of FEC now, it will go a long way in maintaining that road and make the place more conducive for our travellers and for the transportation of goods and services.”

The 15-kilometre Phase II upgrade covers the Port Harcourt (Eleme Junction) to Onne Port Junction section. The project was awarded to Messrs RCC Nigeria Limited for N74.51bn and is expected to be completed within nine months.

The council further approved the Phase II rehabilitation of the Ado-Ekiti-Afe Babalola University Road along the Ado-Ijan/Iluomoba-Imesi Ondo State border in Ekiti State. Messrs S&M Nigeria Limited secured the project at N54.52bn.

Another approved project is the construction of the Ilara-Iselu Road, Phases II-V, in Ogun State. The contract was awarded to Messrs JRB Construction Company Limited at N94.24bn, with a 24-month completion period.

Beyond conventional road construction, the Federal Executive Council approved three Public-Private Partnership concessions covering trailer parks and highway operations. Goronyo said the projects would be fully financed by concessionaires under the Design, Finance, Build, Operate and Maintain/Transfer model.

The approved concessions include the 7.9km Suleja-Minna (Dikko-Maje) road, awarded to Messrs Graciatech Engineering Nigeria Limited at N56.751bn for a 40-year concession period.

The council also approved an Operate and Maintain concession for the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, awarded to Messrs LIB Concession Group at N96.425bn over 25 years.

The third project is the Greenfield Trailer Park in Aro-Ngwa, Abia State, awarded to Messrs Greg Jane International Limited at N19.703bn for a 50-year concession.

“The essence of these trailer parks is to ensure that we move trailers from our highways to a befitting site where they can park. It’s design, build, operate and transfer, with no kobo from the Federal Government. It’s a concession agreement,” Goronyo explained.

On the health sector, Pate announced a series of approvals for the National Hospital Abuja, saying the institution had gone for a prolonged period without the infrastructure attention required for its role as a quaternary healthcare centre.

He said, “This was a hospital established 25, 26 years ago to be a quaternary centre. But if you go into the National Hospital, it has not received the requisite attention in infrastructure and equipment for the last 25, 26 years.”

Among the approved projects is a new administrative management block for the hospital, awarded to Visible Construction Limited at N18.74bn.

The council also approved the construction of modular clinics and theatres covering various specialties. The project was awarded to Strabik Construction Limited at N64.92bn.

A high-end wing was approved for construction by CBC Global Civil Construction Nigeria Limited at N133bn, with a 24-month completion period. Another project is a dedicated Neuroscience Institute, awarded to CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Limited at N69bn.

Explaining the need for the neuroscience facility, Pate said, “Neuroscience, neurosurgical interventions, whether radiological, interventional or rehabilitative, require dedicated infrastructure to cater to those needs for patients, not only here in Abuja but all over our country,”

He added, “The approvals that FEC granted, if you add cumulatively the investment in the National Hospital over the last 27 years, is far less than what this government has been able to do today.”

The minister also disclosed that the council had approved a major investment in cancer care infrastructure. Building on the administration’s earlier investments in cancer treatment centres in Katsina, Benin and Enugu, the government approved the design, construction, furnishing, equipment, supervision and commissioning of a flagship National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment Centre.

CBC Global Civil and Building Construction Nigeria Limited was awarded the project at N302.30bn, with a 36-month completion period.

Pate revealed, “These two major investments are really modernising the infrastructural landscape for the health sector, which will serve Nigerians and hopefully make it less likely for Nigerians to have to travel long distances to get the care they need.

“Quality healthcare is not cheap. The Federal Government is investing, and we’re happy that some states are also investing, because you cannot have the healthcare system you wish for if you don’t put the resources behind it.”

Pate maintained that the contracts went through the required due process conducted by the Bureau of Public Procurement.

“This is unprecedented, because to be honest, Nigeria has not invested significantly or seriously in health infrastructure.

“If you look at roads, there are hundreds of billions that are being awarded every day, and they are very necessary.

“But when it comes to investing in health, we are not used to those major investments. Now we are beginning to change that,” he said.

Source: Punch