National

FG Not Competing With States But Ready To Support -Fashola

February 13, 2017

Directs Federal Controllers of Works as Ambassadors to maintain good working relations with States.

The Minister of Power,Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN has directed Federal Controllers of Works to work in collaboration with State Governments towards the rehabilitation of Federal Roads within their domain, maintaining that the government of President Buhari is not in competition with them but ready to support them in order to build good roads in the country.

Fashola who is on an inspection tour of road projects in the South-East geo-political zone stated this during a courtesy visit on the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, OON who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Prince EzeMadumere, MFR.

The Minister said he embarked on the tour in order to verify reports of on-going rehabilitation works he had received and to further establish other areas of co-operation and assistance between the Federal and State Governments.

He reiterated the repositioning of Federal Controllers of Works in various states as Ambassadors of the Federal Government who should be in cordial relationship with their host communities so as to develop good and efficient road infrastructure network across the country.

The Minister emphasized that efforts are being made to ensure the provision of good, motorable roads across the country and to cause this to happen, the government released funds in 2016 to contractors who were being owed for the last three years. The contractors have since returned back to their respective construction sites, thus recalling their worker which has had multiplier effect on the nation’s economy.

The Federal Controller of Works in Imo State, Engineer Oluwatoyin Obikoya, who briefed the gathering, gave a rundown of the various stages of all Federal Roads in the state and the completion stages of those that are presently under rehabilitation/reconstruction.

Responding, the Deputy Governor expressed appreciation for the visit and stated that the Minister’s presence in the south-east would give hope to the people and credence to the fact that the All Peoples Congress (APC) Government of President MuhamaduBuhari is concerned about their welfare and will not relent in giving the required attention to Federal roads in the South-East geo-political zone so as to grow the economy of the people, the states and the nation.

Prince Madumere remarked that the visit marks the first time the presence of the Federal Ministry of Works would be felt in the state, as such the visit will avail the Minister the opportunity to appreciate the challenges faced by the people in the road sector. He added that there shouldn’t be any difference between Federal and State Roads reiterating that the concern of the Imo State Government is for the people to be able to move their goods and services around in the interest of the people of the state and the generality of Nigerians.

‘BisiAgbonhin
Director (Information)