The Federal Government is currently constructing and rehabilitating five hundred and twenty-four highways and bridges across the country.The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who said this while updating the Federal Executive Council,FEC, on the ongoing road and bridge construction/rehabilitation projects nationwide, highlighted eighty of them as priority projects scheduled for completion in the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

The minister, however, told the council that in order to accomplish the objective of completing the prioritized projects in scheduled time, an additional two hundred and fifty-five point six billion naira would be needed to close the funding gap.He stated that the amount was the difference between the appropriation for the projects in the 2020 budget, which stood at one hundred and fifty-seven point zero five billion naira and the actual estimate for the completion of the projects, which he put at four hundred and twelve point-six-four- billion naira.He told FEC that of the five hundred and twenty-four road and bridge projects currently going on across the country, every state in the federation including Abuja had at least three of such ongoing projects.

On reasons for prioritizing eighty projects, the minister said the projects on completion will bring about reduced travel time, lower vehicle operating costs and improve the comfort of road users, as well as improve the ease of doing business across the country.