News
2024 Budget: Works Ministry presents N657.228 billion proposal, laments poor funding of road projects
The Ministry of Works on Monday presented a budget proposal of N657,228,251,596 billion appropriation for the 2024 fiscal year to the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Works.
This is also as the Minister, Engr. Dave Umahi has urged the lawmakers to get back to the ministry, the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGoF); Federal School of Surveying, Oyo (FSS); Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN); and Surveyors’ Council of Nigeria (SURCON)
Engr. Umahi, who made the demand while addressing the joint committee on works in Abuja on Monday, explained that Capital Budget Proposal for the Ministry of Works itself will gulp N 566,466,977,361, while it’s parastatals; Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA). N51, 282,456,911; African Regional Institute for Geo-Special Information Science and Technology AFRIGIST (RECTAS) goes for N104,039,920 amounting to N617,853,474,192.
The minister explained further that the Overhead Budget Proposal for Ministry stands at N668,116,856.00 while its Parastatals: FERMA will require N22,027,209,696. and RECTAS/AFRIGIST has zero proposal amounting to a total sum of N22,695,326,552.
While Personnel Cost Proposal for the Ministry is N12,598,351,319 and it’s parastatals will take N4,081,099.
The Minister noted that 693 new projects have been proposed in the 2024 Budget which according to him, are critical to improving road network connectivity and thus enhancing traffic circulation on the Federal Road network, which is necessary for boosting socio-economic activities in the country.
According to him, “The primary objective is enabling the Ministry achieve its mandate in providing a quality Federal Road network that serves as an environment to aid socio-economic growth of the country.
“The main challenge to highways development in the country remains inadequate funding. As at date, government is committed to highway contractors to the tune of about N13.835 trillion with a total of about N1,507,873,365,516.02 unpaid certificates for executed works.
“Secondly, the dearth of younger Engineers/Technical Officers in the Ministry as a result of embargo on employment is affecting effective project supervision at the sites. It is expected that more sources of funding of highway projects be explored as well as lifting the embargo on employment of needed Engineers/Technical officers at middle level to enhance supervision of projects.
“Our Ministry has set up six committees to review all debts, approved and unapproved variations on prices of basic rates, and all augmentations that occurred before May 29th 2023 and from May 30th 2023 till date.
Engr. Umahi further stated that, “The provision of an Emergency Fund of about 30% of the Budget Provision will cater for unforeseen emergencies that regularly occur on the road network especially during the rainy seasons;
“An increase of the Ministry’s present budgetary allocation to about N1.5trillion to complete at least 10 selected critical roads and bridges in each of the six geo-political zones of the country;
“Urgent review of all certified debts to contractors and if possible, convert same to Promissory Notes to contractors so that we can get properly focused in using any fund appropriated to us to pursue the Ministry’s set objectives;
“Inflation- Many contractors are presently out of sites because they have exhausted their contract VoPs and needed the projects unit rates to be reviewed. It will be good that all VoPs and augmentations of all the projects are reviewed and those that are owed be converted to Promissory Notes, while unit rates regime will take effect on contractors in line with the current realities of the construction industry.
“More eligible companies should be encouraged to key into the Road Tax Credit Scheme to increase the number of private sector interventions. This means front-loading their tax liabilities to solve our present challenges;
“Raising of Bonds from the Capital Market to finance road development in the country;
“Creation of an enabling environment by fixing the roads so that the deployment of the Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI) can be effective.
“That appropriations for projects be such that no projects when started should last for more than four years,” he said.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has expressed his heartfelt condolences to the Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umar Radda, over the passing of his mother, Hajiya Safarau Umar Baribari.
In a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, Dr. Ganduje described Hajiya Safarau’s death as a profound loss that has left a deep void in the hearts of her family, friends, and the people of Katsina State.
Extending his sympathies, the APC National Chairman condoled with Governor Radda, the bereaved family, and the entire people of Katsina State during this difficult time.
He acknowledged the remarkable contributions of the late Hajiya Safarau and prayed for Almighty Allah (SWT) to grant her eternal rest in Jannatul Firdaus while strengthening the family to bear this irreplaceable loss.
Dr. Ganduje urged Governor Radda and others affected to find comfort in the cherished memories and enduring legacy of the deceased.
Reaffirming the APC’s support, the former Kano State governor assured the people of Katsina State of the party’s solidarity in their time of grief and prayed that Allah (SWT) grant the departed soul Al-Jannah Firdaus. Ameen.
The wife of Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), Hajia Aishat has offered cash and food items worth millions of naira to widows and vulnerable women across Dekina local government Councils, promises to take similar gesture across the nine local government in Kogi East.
The exercise which was tagged: “Widows Empowerment”, saw the Senator’s wife distributing cash and food items to cushion the effect of Ramadan.
Items distributed are bags of rice bags of salt, cartons of seasoning, maggi etc, which were evenly distributed to widows and vulnerable women across party lines.
A beneficiary who spoke with our correspondent at Odu in Dekina Local Government Council, Hon Fitumi thanked Hajia for her continuous effort in coming through for widows and vulnerable regularly.
She acknowledged similar gesture by Senator Isah Jibrin (Echocho), a fortnight ago at Ankpa when youths in their numbers from three Local Government Areas were trained in Agriculture and empowered, stressing that people are now living testimony to the effort of the lawmaker.
“”We are aware of several intervention projects, empowerment and developmental projects of Senator Echocho and we are not surprised seeing Hajia toeing the similar path.
“The distribution of food items and cash today is not only a rekindling of hope to the beneficiaries, but an encouragement that despite their condition, they were not forgotten.
Hajia Labran, and other APC Women leaders who spoke on behalf of women, applauded Hajia Aisha Echocho and pray Allah to strengthen her to carry on, urged others to emulate her sustainable initiatives.
The women advised other political office holders to emulate what is good and just, which they believed would strengthen the party.
As part of the activities to celebrate the golden anniversary of the University of Calabar, the wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Godswill Akpabio was on Saturday, March 22, 2025 conferred with an honorary doctorate degree in Education Management.
The ceremony held at the main campus of the institution in Calabar, Cross River State also saw the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike awarded the honorary doctorate degree in Law.
Other awardees included Major General Moses Bisong Obi (rtd) (Doctor of Peace and Conflict Studies) and Supreme Court Justice, Emmanuel Akomaye Obi (Doctor of Law).
In her acceptance speech after the conferment by the 15th Emir of Kano and Chancellor of the University, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Akpabio thanked the Governing Council and Management of the University for finding her worthy of the honour.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media/communication to the President of the Senate, Anietie Ekong quoted Mrs Akpabio as saying “I am happy to be honoured with this award from the prestigious University of Calabar that I have heard so much about from my dear husband, an alumnus of this great institution.
“I was wondering when I will join him as a great Malabress and that day has come and I am grateful to the University for this honour,” she said.
Mrs Akpabio promised to work with other awardees especially the Minister of the FCT to provide infrastructural assistance to the university.
In a citation the University extolled Mrs Akpabio for her philanthropic and humanitarian efforts towards uplifting the lives of women and the vulnerable of the society through her non governmental organisation, the Family Life Enhancement Initiative.
She was also recognized as a Champion of women’s rights and as one who used her position as the First Lady of Akwa Ibom State to fight for the inclusion of more women in governance.
On his part, Chief Wike said he was honoured to be among the recipients of award. He extolled the Visitor of the University, President Bola Tinubu for working tirelessly to promote tertiary education in the country.
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