The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has said the shortage of young engineers and technical officers due to the embargo on employment is adversely affecting the ministry.
Fashola, who was on Tuesday at the House of Representatives to defend his ministry’s budget, also disclosed that N10.4 trillion was being owed to highway contractors by the Federal Government.
The former Lagos State governor said: “The shortage of younger engineers/technical officers in the ministry as a result of the embargo on employment is affecting proficient project supervision at the sites. It is expected that more sources of funding of highway projects be explored as well as lifting the embargo on employment of needed engineers/technical officers at middle level to enhance supervision of projects.”
He added: “The main challenge for highway development in the country remains inadequate funding. As of date, the government is committed to highway contractors to the tune of about N10.4 trillion while a total of about N765 billion are unpaid certificates for executed works.
“As of October 2022, the ministry had a cumulative unpaid certificate in the sum of N765, 017,139,752.92 for ongoing highway and bridge projects. Apart from the pressure of resources to pay, there is the inadequacy of annual budget provisions where N100 million or N200 million was provided for roads costing twenty or more billion.
“In spite of all odds, 20 major highway projects have so far been completed in 2022 and are ready for inauguration. The total cost of the completed projects is in the sum of N444, 322,123,808.61 and they cover a total length of 379.677km. Additionally, there are 59 major highways/bridges priority projects that are at an advanced level, to be completed within 2022-2023 with a total contract sum of N60, 961,187,130.71.”
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