Since the dawn of the current democracy in 1999, genuine efforts have been carried out to improve on the existing road network in the country.
The essence of these efforts was aimed at combating the decay that trailed the usage of overstretched roads, following the collapse of the rail transportation system nearly two decades ago.
Nigeria boasts 200,000km of road networks owned by the federal government, states and local government councils.
In all this, only about 65,000km of the 200,000km of roads is paved mostly with bituminous layers.
Out of this, the FG owns 35,000km, representing 54 per cent of the entire bituminous road network in Nigeria. The balance is shared between the 36 states and the 774 local councils.
The stress under which Nigerian roads have been subjected to is best appreciated when considering the number of cars plying these roads.
Studies have shown that in 1983, there were only 150, 000 cars plying Nigerian roads. The number of vehicles on Nigerian roads shot to the skies when it rose to nine million last year from 1.3 million vehicles in 2000.
The rise in the number of cars plying the roads has led to increasing pressure on the roads, which has been further made worse due to the absence of rail transportation for haulage.
Another study, tagged ‘Road Vision 2000’, revealed that in 2010, only 27 per cent of federal roads were in good condition, “with a devastating consequence to the nation’s economy.”
The decay on our roads, the study further reveals, has led to the loss of a whopping sum of N175 billion, which comprises of a N75 billion loss due to reduction in asset value; N88 billion loss due to the increased vehicle operating cost and N12 billion loss due to delayed turn around and increased travel time.
Realising the need to tackle the road decay in the nation, the Federal Ministry of Works, under Architect Mike Onolemenmen, Minister of Works, set out to achieve, among others, the completion of road projects that have attained 75 per cent on major economic routes such Abuja-Lokoja-Benin dualisation project; Kano-Potiskum-Maiduguri dualisation; Onitsha-Enugu Expressway rehabilitation and Benin-Ore-Shagamu Expressway rehabilitation project.
Another focus of the works ministry in the last one year has been to fast track the groundbreaking on the 2nd Niger Bridge and Oweto Bridge, just as the ministry is expected to fast track the completion of roads to sea ports, airports and refineries and also to ensure the completion of maintenance works on 3rd Mainland Bridge.
The works ministry, in its projected investment plan, 1st NIP and Transformation Agenda, completed the dualisation of the Onitsha-Owerri and Onitsha Eastern Bypass at the cost of N4.52 billion, Kano –Kazaure-Daura-Mai Adua Road in Katsina at the cost of N.63 billion and the dualisation of the Onitsha-Owerri Section II was also completed at the cost of N1.65 billion. There are about 13 ongoing road projects, just like there are about eight new road projects.
At the beginning of 2012, the ministry scaled down 168 numbers of ongoing projects to 80 prioritised projects. In the last 12 months, the ministry made progress on 32 road projects to substantial completion. With over 35 per cent of the road projects completed, 38 per cent of the road projects are ongoing and are at various stages of completion.
In 2012, about 615km of roads were paved in bituminous layers to demonstrate the determination of the Jonathan administration to improve on road networks across the country and tackle the age-long neglect of road infrastructure.
In demonstration of his commitment to the development of the road network across the country, the Jonathan administration has embarked on ongoing road projects, valued at N1.397 trillion. Highlights of the projects include the 84 ongoing road projects in the North at a whopping sum of N850.7 billion; with the North-East having the highest number of 30 road projects with 1.1461km length, which is estimated to cost the federal government the sum of N332.9 billion. The North-Central comes second with 31 projects, consisting of 1,054km length at the cost of N262.3 billion and the North-West, with 23 projects consisting of 1,028km length at the cost of N255.5 billion, follows at the rear.
The South has a total of 111 ongoing road projects worth the sum of N544 billion, with the South-West leading with 37 road projects consisting of 1, 230km length at the cost N236.9 billion. Then there’s the South-South consisting of 34 projects with 876km length at the cost of N159.4 billion and South-East with 40 ongoing projects, consisting of 978 km length at the cost of N149.6 billion.
Considering the difficulties involved in financing road projects, the Jonathan administration is considering the option of borrowing from multilateral agencies and pension fund for key economic highway Infrastructure that can repay the capital; floating of road bond for highway projects, conventional PPP finance contracts and Viability Gap Fund (when created).
Some of the PPP projects under procurement are the construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge at Asaba/Onitsha; Access road to Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road, Lagos, and construction of a bridge over River Niger at Nupeko, Niger State.
In order to realise the objective of a developed road network, the ministry of works is working out modalities towards the execution of the dualisation of Keffi-Lafia-Makurdi-Enugu (9th Mile). The essence is to reduce traffic related accidents and provide an alternative to Abuja-Lokoja route for South-bound traffic and further improve safety on our roads.
In a bid to broaden its funds and help in the completion of ongoing projects, the Federal Ministry of Works in 2012 received additional funding of N85 billion from the SURE-P for selected projects.
The road projects that got funding from the SURE-P are dualisation of Abuja-Abaji-Lokoja Road (N25 billion); the sum of N22.5 billion was released for the reconstruction of Benin-Ore-Sagamu (3 sections); N8 billion was released for the rehabilitation of Onitsha-Enugu-Port Harcourt Road (3 sections); N20 billion was given for the dualisation of Potiskum-Maiduguri roads (5 sections); construction of Loko/Oweto bridge across Benue River (N5 billion) and construction of 2nd Niger Bridge at Onitsha/Asaba (N5 billion).
In the last one year, the ministry, through the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), has completed 48 per cent of ongoing road maintenance projects, while about 52 projects were ongoing and on the verge of being completed.
There can be no denying the fact that the Jonathan government is determined, more than ever, to provide an improved road network for the citizenry. With the visible improvement of our roads now a delight, it won’t be long that nightmare associated with road travels will soon be a thing of the past.
There is no doubt that with President Jonathan marking his mid-term in power, Nigerians look forward for more additional strides in the development of road infrastructure that has led to the death of many and caused untold sorrow and pains to many Nigerian families.
Rufai wrote in from Abuja