VICTORIA ONU, ABUJA
IN a bid to address the infrastructure deficit in the country, the Federal Government has launched the Highway Development Management Initiative to further attract private sector funds in roads construction and rehabilitation across the country.
The initiative is targeted at attracting private sector technical expertise, managerial capacity and financial resources to improve the quantity and quality of the road assets in Nigeria.
This is expected to propel rapid economic development and growth through the haulage of passengers and goods.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, (SAN), stated that the aggregate total of 1,963 kilometres, which is 5.6 per cent of the 35,000-kilometre federal road network, would be affected by the development.
He said the 12 roads were chosen to ensure the coverage of each of the six geo-political zones, adding that the initial capital investments would be about N1.134trn.
The roads are Benin-Asaba (125km), Abuja-Lokoja (193km), Kano-Katsina (150km), Onitsha-Owerri-Aba (161km), Shagamu-Benin (258km), Abuja-Keffi-Akwanga (122km), and Kano-Shuari (100km).
Others are Potiskum-Damaturu (96.24km), Lokoja-Benin (270km), Enugu-Port Harcourt (200km), Ilorin-Jebba (129km), Lagos-Otta-Abeokuta (80km), and Lagos-Badagry-Seme (79km).
According to the Minister, the project could create 50,000 direct and 200,000 indirect job.
Also speaking at the procurement process for the concession of 12 major roads under the scheme, covering all the six geopolitical zones of the country, Acting Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, Mike Ohiani, disclosed that the ICRC, in exercise of its statutory mandate had reviewed and certified the 12 OBCs.
He said this would enable the project move to private sector procurement stage.
In doing that, the ICRC boss said the Commission had already provided PPP pre – contract regulatory guidance to the Federal Ministry of Works for the Bid documents.
According to Ohiani, after the evaluation of the Request for Qualification, qualified bidders will be issued with the Request for Proposals to submit technical and financial proposals for their chosen project lots for evaluation.
He said any firm or consortium found to have met the minimum requirements as stipulated in the RfP would enter into project negotiation phase with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
He added that this would enable the preparation of a Full Business Case for the Commission’s review and compliance certification.
The FBC Compliance certification is to enable the Minister present the project to the Federal Executive Council for approval.
