Nigerian roads not that bad — Fashola says

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, SAN, insisted on Wednesday that Nigerian roads were not that bad as often portrayed.



Speaking shortly after the Federal Executive Council meeting, he said reports on the poor state of the country’s roads were mere hypes.



The FEC meeting, which was presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, approved N58.4billion for the construction of Bida-Sachi-Nupeko road and the Nupeko-Patigi Bridge across River Niger, linking Nupeko and Patigi in Niger and Kwara states.









The PUNCH had on June 24, reported that federal roads were in a terrible state of disrepair. According to the report, the bad state of the roads has been aiding bandits and herdsmen, who kill and kidnap travellers in impassable spots on the highways.



Some of the roads listed included the 110-kilometre-Gusau-Dansadau Road in Zamfara State; the Oyo-Iseyin road in Oyo State and the Makurdi-Gboko-Katsina Alla-Zaki Biam Road, which links Benue State to Taraba State.



But on Wednesday, Fashola, while dismissing reports on bad state of the highways said, “The roads are not as bad as they are often portrayed. I know that this is going to be your headline, but the roads are not that bad”, he told State House Correspondents.









The minister explained that, but for funding challenges, most road projects would have been long completed.



Fashola also stated that some parts of the country faced peculiar issues like high water table, which made construction in the rainy season difficult.



He mentioned the South-East and the South-South among areas with such difficulties.









The minister added that the ministry and contractors were waiting patiently for the rains to subside so that they could return to sites.

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