Abuja (Min. of Works and Housing) – The Honourable Minister of State for Works and Housing Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu has charged Nigerians and the public in general to engage his Ministry on the state of the highways in the country with a view to improve their condition for ease of movement.  Engr. Aliyu also enjoined the public to seek necessary information and clarification from his Ministry in order to be properly guided on infrastructure put in place by government to make life more meaningful for the citizens.
He made the remark on Friday  in Abuja while hosting the Niger Delta Activist Forum who came to pay him a courtesy visit in the Ministry.
The Minister noted  that the President Muhammudu Buhari led government is serious, responsive and listens to the yearnings  of Nigerians and has shown commitment in providing the necessary infrastructure by beefing the budget on roads from 16billion in 2015 to over N300 billion in the 2020 budget for the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. He told the Niger Delta Activist Group that, there was no opportunity in the past for people to interact with decision makers in the Works and Housing sectors.
He said the Executive Order No. 5 signed into law by Mr. President is mostly about the Local Content and it is being observed at the Federal Executive Council in the award of contracts.
He disclosed that roads that had reached 80% completion level would be given priority for completion in 2020, adding that on-going roads and projects would not be abandoned. Â He enjoined the pubic to keep engaging the controllers and directors in the Ministry on the state of the highways in the country.
On the request made by the activists on the reconstruction of Calabar-Odukpani-Itu road, Engr. Aliyu stated that the Federal Government was taking necessary actions to fix the bad portions of that road.
Earlier the President of Niger Delta Activist, Comrade Success Jack said that his association is a Pan Niger Delta Group committed to ensure that the policies of Federal Government get the right support and also to foster the spirit of peace and understanding between the Federal Governments and the people of the Niger Delta region
The President noted that their mission was to draw Federal Government attention to the bad state of the Calabar–Odukpani–Itu road with a view to fix it in order to reduce the plight of commuters on that road
Comrade Jack also spoke on the need to fix other roads in the Niger Delta Region that need attention.
The President of the Association commended the Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Raji Fashola SAN, the Minister of State, Engr. Abubakar D. Aliyu and the staff of the Ministry for the commitment and passion in responding to the yearning of Nigerians in fixing Nigeria road infrastructure.
Comrade Jack stated that his organization was willing to mobilize the indigenes of Niger Delta to collaborate with contractors to ensure their safety is guaranteed while executing their projects.
Stephen Kilebi
Deputy Director (Press)
