The Plateau State Government (PLSG) has spent N20 billion to rehabilitate four federal roads in the state, Mr Sunday Hyat, the Permanent Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Works, said on Thursday.
Hyat disclosed this in Jos while conducting Gov. Simon Lalong round some of the roads that had benefitted from the state’s intervention funds.
Hyat said that, however, the state had received only N1.2 billion of the amount as reimbursement.
“The Plateau State Government is still seeking a balance of N18.8 billion from the Federal Government; we have written to the Federal Ministry of Works for the reimbursement of the balance,” he said.
He listed the projects implemented by the state to include: the dualisation of the Polo Road in Jos, at a cost N2.7billion, as well as the dualisation of Mararaba Jama’a-Heipang Road up to Inland Container Depot, Jos, executed at N2.04 billion.
Other projects, he said, include: the construction of a flyover at the Federal Secretariat Junction with slip roads and under-passes at the cost of N4.6 billion.
The PS said that the state had commenced the reconstruction and resurfacing of the Mararaba Ja’maa-British-America Junction Road estimated to cost it N10.55 billion.
He said that three out of the four projects had been completed, while the reconstruction and resurfacing of Mararaba Jama’a- British America Junction was ongoing.
He said that the projects were executed under the joint supervision of the Federal Ministry of Works and the Plateau Ministry of Works.
According to Hyat, the Federal Ministry has confirmed that the projects met the specifications and are qualified for the reimbursement.
In his remarks, Gov. Lalong said that the state government recently secured an infrastructure loan of N10 billion with which it re-mobilised contractors to site.
He said that the contractors had sometime stopped works as a result of lack of funds.
The governor said that the state was determined to complete the projects to alleviate the sufferings of the people.
Lalong said he was personally inspecting the projects to ensure that contractors did not compromise standards.
