Nigerians will be awaiting reports on the extent of work done in road rehabilitation projects started by the Federal Government at the close of last year as the 2024 rainy season, which promises to slow down further work, sets in.

This is as flood waters from heavy rains typically worsen road conditions in the country, extending travel and delivery times by several hours, and sometimes by days at a time, for commuters and goods to destination.

Between late 2023 and the early weeks of 2024, the Federal Government kicked off the rehabilitation of some of the largely deplorable network of federal highways linking Nigeria’s 36 states and Abuja.

In November last year, Minister of Works, David Umahi, after a meeting with President Tinubu in Abuja, told journalists that the President had approved more than 260 road repairs across the 36 States of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, which would gulp about N217 billion.

He said the President had also approved more road construction works, including project upgrades.

Among the projects, Umahi had mentioned, were the resurfacing of the 3rd Mainland Bridge, construction of Lekki Deep Seaport Road, reconstruction of two collapsed bridges in Enugu, Benin-Sapele Road, reconstruction of two locations on the Onitsha-Owerri Road, upgrading of the Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga-Lafia Road, and dualisation of the Lafia by-pass.

“We have three bridges that collapsed on the South-West roads, he approved their reconstruction immediately. We have the Shendam-Lafia that collapsed, we also have the approval for its repairs,” Umahi had said.

“We have about 17 points along the East-West Road that have been destroyed by flood, Mr President has approved and released money for the immediate repairs. Of course, the Third Mainland Bridge resurfacing and repairs of some noticeable defections, which have to be done under the deck on top of the water with equipment, he has also approved that.

“Two bridges that collapsed in Enugu, approved by Mr President; the two locations on the Onitsha-Owerri Road, Mr President approved the reconstruction; Lokoja-Abuja Road, Mr President approved the reconstruction.

“I can name them, apart from the 260 emergency repairs all over the country that is worth about N217 billion, so I’m quite glad,” he had said.

The award of construction projects addresses two economic problems simultaneously. In addition to boosting demand side through injections, revamped roads aid distribution of goods and services, most especially agricultural produce, enhancing their movements from the farm gates to the market.

Umahi, while inaugurating a task force committee in the Niger Delta, also said the committee would monitor the reconstruction of the Benin-Warri Dual Carriageway (Section I, II and III) and dualisation of East-West road Section III: Port Harcourt (Eleme Junction) Onne Port Junction road in Rivers.

The minister had also said on a separate occasion that road contracts would thenceforth be fragmented and issued to many more companies and that more concrete would be added to the mix to ensure better quality, guarantee project completion and the meeting of project deadlines.

Umahi and his principal, President Bola Tinubu, had been releasing soundbites into the public space regarding urgency, quality, innovation and enhanced supervision in addressing the repairs and extension of roads going forward.

This followed strident outcries, especially from governors of many of Nigeria’s 36 states, as well as members of the legislature, concerning the state of the roads and the attendant consequences.

Some state governors had ventured into the rehabilitation of particularly bad sections of federal roads traversing their states to facilitate the movement of commuters and the haulage of goods.

The poor state of Federal Government roads which traverse the country has been particularly telling, as it hinders human movement and the haulage of goods, undermining the earning capacity of individuals Nigerians and businesses and contributing to the rising cost of foodstuffs and other goods and services.

It is also a significant marker in escalating road accidents which result in death and injury to many yearly.

The minister spoke of the need to transform the manner of road contract issuance, recalling the disturbing occurrence of contractors taking on multiple road projects without the necessary equipment and capacity to start or conclude them within the stated time frames.

Government’s road construction projects are coming side by side a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) scheme which undertakes to prioritise the use of cheaper CNG fuel, as against petrol, to drive much of the country’s commercial transportation vehicles, so as to lower transport cost. Thus the prospect is of smoother, less cumbersome roads to navigate, resulting in reduced cost, as well as cheaper fuels.