Fashola. Pius Utomi EKPEI/AFP/Getty Image
The Federal Government has announced that rehabilitation works would begin soon on the Apapa-Wharf road.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, disclosed this in a chat with journalists at a management retreat for department and agencies under his ministry.
The minister said government was committed to making all roads leading to the nation’s seaports easily accessible.
According to him, the repairs became necessary to ease the business in the country, as well as assist those whose sources of livelihood depend on transactions at the seaports.
He explained that over the years, the budgetary allocations for the road had been very small, adding that whereas the cost of rehabilitating the roads is about N100 billion, the budgetary allocation last year was only N7 billion.
Fashola further disclosed that the Federal Government has agreed with two private companies, which offered to rehabilitate the roads, and was at the point of signing a formal memorandum before presentation to the Federal Executive Council for final approval.
According to the Minister: “ Very soon, I think in a matter of weeks, we will be able to intervene in Apapa-Wharf roads, in Lagos. The Wharf has many problems, one of which is excess tonnage. There used to be a rail system link there to evacuate the excess tonnage and port.
“But by the time we left that rail and went into the road, we started degrading the road. So there is so much excess tonnage along that road. Now, there are few private companies that offered to work with us in terms of fixing the road. And irrespective of the fact that it is private money, but there has to be transparency on how we procure it.
He stressed that there are the procurement guidelines that must be followed because in government, if you receive a gift, it must have a value and you must declare that value.
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