WORKS MINISTRY CONCLUDES IN-HOUSE 2024 BUDGET APPROPRIATION DEFENCE .... As Umahi Set To Meet Joint Committee Of National Assembly

"The road sector in the country needed a different kind of attention beyond the 2024 budget envelope received by the Ministry." Umahi

"For a developing nation like Nigeria, road sector development is a catalyst for economic development. The road sector has the potential to improve the security sector, agricultural sector, trade and investment, health, education and, in fact, every aspect of the development of every nation."

Ahead of preparations for its Budget Defence before the Joint Committees of the National Assembly scheduled for Monday 11 December, 2023, Directors and Heads of Departments in the Federal Ministry of Works have concluded their in-house Budget Defence with the Honourable Minister, Senator Dave Nweze Umahi.

Umahi, at the conclusion of the in-house deliberations and defences, thanked the Acting Permanent Secretary and all the Heads of Departments who handled the Ministry's budget, for their commitment to the appraisal of the 2023 Budget and  the preparation of the 2024 Budget proposal.

The Minister, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Orji Uchenna Orji, said the road sector in the country needed a different kind of attention beyond the 2024 budget envelope received by the Ministry. 

"For a developing nation like Nigeria, road sector development is a catalyst for economic development. The road sector has the potential to improve the security sector, agricultural sector, trade and investment, health, education and, in fact, every aspect of the development of every nation," he said. 

Senator Dave Umahi , in the statement, thanked very highly, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Senator Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for the attention given to the Ministry and his approval of  concrete pavement in most of the 2024 projects. 

He stated that the Ministry is committed to the development of the country's road infrastructure, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President. 

The Minister noted the huge debts that had arose from unpaid certificates inherited from the past administration, which runs up to N1.5 trillion up till date and the expected contract reviews arising from inflation. 

"These two factors are recognized in the Ministry as issues that must be confronted in order to move forward." The statement read.

"The Minister has, therefore, set up six committees of one Committee per geopolitical zone to review all debts of unpaid certified certificates generated before May 29th, 2023, and from May 29th 2023 to date. The Committees will also review the approved and unapproved variation of prices and all augmentations that were approved or are yet to be approved and make recommendations to the Ministry's management. 

"The Ministry has exposed these debts and all reviews in the Ministry to Mr. President’s Economic Team and also, to the Federal Executive Committee on Road Sector Funding. It is believed that the internal works through these constituted committees will help them to use external Consultants to reverify the works so that concrete decisions will be made to move the Ministry forward." The statement further revealed.

According to the Minister's Chief Press Secretary in the statement, "Contractors who are being owed are requested to approach these committees with all documents to back up their claims from Tuesday 12th 2023 to Friday, 22nd of December 2023 from 9am to 7pm at the Honourable Minister’s Conference Room, 1st floor, Federal Ministry of Works, Headquarters, Mabushi Abuja.

Umahi therefore, thanked Mr. President as well as the members of the National Assembly, assuring of the judicious utilization of funds allocated to the Ministry with a visible impact on the on the improvement of road infrastructure in the country.

Directors and Departmental Heads in the Ministry pledged a renewed vigor in  the supervision of the projects.