FG assures NUPENG, others of completion of Mokwa-Jebba road project in 2018

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7 years ago

AS part of efforts to curb trade dispute in the oil and gas sector of the nation’s economy, the Federal Government has assured workers in the sector that the Mokwa-Jebba road project will be completed this year, 2018.

Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, gave the assurance in Abuja during a meeting with leaders of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) on the state of Nigerian roads.

The Unions had expressed dissatisfactions over the state of major roads as well as the number of abandoned road projects in the country, citing an instance of the collapsed bridge in Tatabu, Mokwa Council Area, which serves as a link between the Northern and western part of the country.

Fashola attributed the problems to severe weather conditions and transportation of excess goods such as iron rods, heavy types of machinery and high tonnage materials.

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He said that prior to the meeting, the ministry had planned to organise a workshop where all issues regarding the sector and other matters of concern to the union was to be discussed.

He assured that the Mokwa-Jebba road project would be completed in 2018 even as he added that an alternative road has been constructed pending completion of the project.

He further urged the Unions to always see strike actions as the last resort in every agitation that demands Federal government intervention.

The Minister, however, denied claims of corrupt practices in road projects execution.

Speaking on excessive tonnage, he explained that the issue was presented to President Muhammadu Buhari and has gotten approval such that overloaded vehicles would be denied access to leave loading ports.

Fashola added that the ministry would meet with the union quarterly so as to effectively address all the lingering problems confronting the sector and also present government policies on the sector.

Earlier, NARTO National President, Dr Kassim Ibrahim lauded the federal government for different road projects across the country.

He further admitted that truck overloading has been a major cause of road damage, aside from poor road design and construction, poor road maintenance and use of low-quality materials for construction.

Ibrahim urged the federal government to improve funding to the road sector while encouraging Public Private Partnership (PPP) model to collectively develop the sector.

However, he presented on behalf of both union recommendations to the Minister which include a ban on importation of 60,000 liters capacity tanks.

He said trucks of 45, 000 liters should be adopted as the maximum capacity to be allowed on roads across the country, adding that all tank manufacturers and fabricators should be warned against the construction of truck body above 50,000 litres capacity.

PTD Chairman, Otunba Salimon Oladiti urged the federal government to expedite action on the Mokwa-Jabba roads.

He emphasised the need for a palliative measure for the benefit of the truck drivers while the Minister assured of his commitment to call the contractor to action.