FG budgets N1.8tn, releases N964bn for roads nationwide

The Federal Government has allocated the sum of N1.8tn for the construction of roads and bridges in seven years despite public outcry over the deplorable condition of roads across the country.

However, only N964bn was released for implementation of its projects.

This is according to a document obtained from the Ministry of Works and Housing.

It was observed a 1,334% increase in budgetary allocation between 2015 and 2016, which was N18.1bn and N260bn respectively, while 2018 got the highest provision of N356.7bn for infrastructure development.

In the document, N223.2bn was budgeted for construction of roads in 2019, N227.9bn in 2020 and N241.8bn in 2021.

Meanwhile, only N198.3bn was released for the implementation of its projects in 2016, N177bn for 2017, N100.7bn for 2018, N145bn for 2019, N227.9bn for 2020, N115.8bn for 2021.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, in a press briefing recently disclosed that in spite of the shortfall in the government’s revenue, arising from weakness in the global economy that led to drop in oil revenue, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government had been able to construct and complete over 8,352.94 kilometres of roads and created no fewer than 339,955 jobs between 2016 and 2022.

The minister also stated that the rehabilitation of 12 major roads – spanning 896.187 kilometres across the country – within the same period had led to reduction of travel time by 56.20 per cent and added value to the people in the communities, where the roads pass through.

When asked if the amount was justifiable, an economic expert wondered which roads were constructed with the said amount, adding that a lot of roads in the country were in deplorable state.

He said, “We have to ask the government the kind of projects they embarked on with that kind of money. If we can see the projects completed, then can we applaud them?

“By public opinion, our roads are deplorable and make one wonder where the amount stated went to, so that amount is not justifiable because we have not seen the multiplying effect of such projects.”