FG Approves N625m for Power, Roads, Water
From Josephine Lohor in Abuja
The Federal Government yesterday approved about N625 million for power, water and roads.
Out of the amount, 1.8 million Euro was approved for the installation of digital communication system for the Abuja-Shiroro transmission line and sub-stations to monitor real time activities on the line.
Another N245 million was also approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the design of the bridge that would link Loko in Nasarawa State to Oweto in Benue State.
The Minister of State for Water Resources, Mr. Bashir Awotorebo, who briefed newsmen on the outcome of the weekly FEC meeting alongside the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Chief Chukwuemeka Chikelu, Power and Steel Senator Liyel Imoke, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe respectively, stated that N90 million contract for the rehabilitation and expansion of the Ogbomoso Water Supply Scheme to Messrs KFS Ventures was also approved.
Imoke, while giving further insight into the contract for the communication system, said that "this terminal equipment will now monitor all the activities on the line. It is the equipment that will be linked to the national control centre in Osogbo, linked to the substation in Shiroro, linked to the Central Area here in Abuja, linked to the NEPA headquarters and of course linked to the sub-stations in Katampe.
"So, we will have a comprehensive system that will allow us to monitor activities on the line. Presently, the line is operating without this equipment and this is considered to be a bit hazardous. With the real time monitoring of the line, at least, Abuja within the FCT will be secured in terms of power supply," Imoke added.
Ogunlewe stated that in order to ease movement from the South-east to Abuja by increasing the interlink of roads with the three connections of Abaji to Keffi, Gwagwalada to Lokoja and Abuja to Kano, the Federal Government intends to design three more bridges which consist of the Cross River Bridge to Ikom, Ibi Bridge in Taraba State and the Second Niger Bridge to link Onitsha to Asaba.
Awotorebo on his part, said that the Ogbomosho water project "is expected to be completed within nine months and I assure you that there is adequate provision in this year's budget for the project. This project is in line with the President's national development objective of increasing water supply coverage to 80 per cent on the average for Nigerians by the year 2007.
"The target of our ministry under the President's initiative of water for all is that by the year 2007, all state capitals will have full service of safe drinking water and water for sanitation, while 75 to 80 per cent of all urban and semi-urban would have been covered. Not leaving out the rural areas, we expect that we would have attained 66 per cent safe drinking water and water for sanitation."
Chikelu still on the water project, noted that "a major feature of 2004 budget was government's deliberate decision that the overwhelming majority of the capital budget should go to those areas that touch Nigerians directly.
"One of such areas is water supply and that is why over the past few weeks and in the weeks to come, you will continue to see a number of water projects being reported to you here as they are taken up in council and progress is being made," he added.
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