Buhari saddles Tinubu with N16tr projects new President promises to complete
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
President Bola Tinubu inherited from Muhammadu Buhari more than N16.29 trillion uncompleted projects identified through the national monitoring and evaluation platform (EYEMARK) launched by the former President in December 2022.
Buhari warned Abuja could no longer depend on its handful of monitoring and evaluation teams to oversee the vast infrastructure projects spread across the country.
He said given his administration invested in infrastructure more than any other before it, it was only fitting to create adequate avenues for close monitoring.
He enthused EYEMARK would close gaps and promote citizens’ participation in governance.
With EYEMARK, Buhari enthused, “the status of projects, the total amount appropriated and dispensed so far are now available in the public space.”
EYEMARK discovered about 33 projects were yet to be completed, one of them the 126.6km Lagos-Ibadan Expressway which costs about N315 billion and is said to be at 85 per cent completion.
The federal government again postponed the reopening of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, saying the April 30 date earlier scheduled was no longer feasible.
Former Works and Housing Minister Babatunde Fashola explained the shift in date was due to heavy traffic from the toll gate to the Kara Bridge section of the expressway.
The EYEMARK app shows Julius Berger and RCC are the contractors in charge of the project.
The 37.9km Bodo-Bonny Road, estimated to cost about N200 billion, is being handled by Julius Berger and put at 75 per cent completion.
Fashola said funding for the project comes from the federal government’s Tax Credit Scheme into which Nigeria’s Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and other big firms like Dangote Group and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) are investing.
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Other projects
Per reporting by The PUNCH, other projects include
- Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project estimated at a cost of $25 billion (about N11.52 trillion).
The NNPC is leading the implementation of the National Gas Expansion Programme, including domestic gas pipeline infrastructure and the Nigeria-Morocco and Trans-Sahara Gas Pipelines.
The NNPC has signed five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with national oil companies and other entities of five African countries on the Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project.
The five countries are Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, and Sierra Leone.
- The $2.8 billion (about N1.29 trillion) Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Pipeline Project said to be at 70 per cent completion.
The contractors include Oando, Brentex Petroleum Services, Oilserve, and China Petroleum Pipeline Bureau.
Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo recently disclosed the project would generate 3.6 gigawatts (3,600 megawatts, (mw) of electricity, stressing the AKK pipeline was a major project of the Buhari administration.
The NNPC also recently announced $1.1 billion had been spent on the constructing the $2.8 billion AKK project.
- The counterpart funding for the Greater Abuja Water Project, estimated at a cost of $470.76 million (about N217 billion) is still pending.
Five years after the conceptualisation of the $470 million roject, the government is yet to release the 20 per cent counterpart fund for the project.
- Dualisation of Akure-Ado Ekiti Road in Ondo/Ekiti put at N90 billion.
Fashola in May commissioned the dualisation of the Akure/Iju-Itagbolu/Ado-Ekiti Road, which he said would be completed in 24 months.
- Itobe power plant costing $5 billion (about N2.3 trillion). The 2,400 mw coal-fired project is at 30 per cent completion with the contractor as Eta-Zuma Group.
- Renovation of the National Assembly (NASS) Complex estimated to cost about N30.23 billion. The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) has said the project will not be ready until August 2023.
- Design and construction of the Nigerian Cultural Centre and Millennium Tower (N69.35 billion).
- Full scope development of FCT Highway 105 (Kuje Road) from the Airport Expressway to the outer Southern Expressway with Spur at Kyami District (N54.95 billion).
- Construction and equipping of hospitals at Gwarimpa Phase I (N3.03 billion).
- Construction of Bichi Township Roads (N1.40 billion).
- Construction of Dawakin Tofa-Gwarzo-Dayi Road in Kano (N2 billion).
- The 5.4km Abuja-Keffi Expressway.
- Dualisation of the 220km Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia-Makurdi federal roads in the North Central (N166.36 billion).
Tinubu promised during his campaign in Owerri in February to continue with Buhari’s developmental programmes.
He said Buhari’s eight-year reign was a retooling process and he (Tinubu) would invest in education, build infrastructure, and be prudent if elected President.
“PDP stole Nigeria’s treasure. President Buhari’s eight years is a retooling process. PDP are liars. We will continue with developmental programmes of APC, they will not stop,” Tinubu promised.
