Fashola Unveils Plans; Promises To Construct 200 New Roads; Increase Power Generation

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, December 8th, 2015

By Niyi Adeyi

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) has promised his Ministry will construct 200 new roads as well as complete another 200 presently under construction across the country.

Fashola made the pledge in Abuja at his maiden Press Conference on the golas of his Ministry in FCT Abuja.

The Minister, who noted that the completion of roads would generate total of 20,000 jobs, explained that his Ministry’s short term strategy was to commence with roads that has made some progress, which could also be quickly completed to facilitate connectivity. Alongside, Fashola indicated that his Ministry would give priority to the roads which connect States together, after which it would progress with those that record “heaviest traffic”.

On Power, the immediate past Lagos State Governor announced that the country’s power transmission firm (TCN) has about 142 power transmission projects which are still ongoing. The projects, the Minister again promised would be delivered next year.

The Minister disclosed that his office would work closely with the Ministry of Petroleum, which is currently constructing pipes for transportation of gas for power generating companies. The project is expected to last within 15 months and Mr. Fashola indicated it would add up another 2,000 megawatts to Nigeria power generation.

Fashola who confirmed that the Federal Government would encourage local manufacturing of meters, added that solar panels would be considered to supply power at homes, still, pointed out that there was need to reconfigure the roots before bringing in the innovation.

The approach, the Minister stated was in line with the Nigeria’s commitment to cleaner energy recently made in Paris, where it pledged at the climate change conference COP 21 that the projects would be carried out “in accordance with National priorities”.

While reeling out the goal on Housing, Fashola promised that his Ministry would deliver 40 blocks of 12 flats in a block in each State. According to him, the scheme would provide 480 flats per State. He however added that each of the States of Federation must provide between five and 10 hectares of land to actualize the project.