The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola yesterday revealed that the federal government owes highway contractors the sum of N10.4 trillion. Fashola, who made the revelation at a Budget Defence session with the House of Representatives Committee on Works in Abuja, also lamented that shortage of young engineers and technical officers due to the embargo placed on employment by the government was adversely affecting the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing.
He explained: “The shortage of younger engineers/technical officers in the ministry as a result of 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.” Speaking
further, he said “the main challenge to highways development in the country remains inadequate funding. As at date, the government is committed to highway contractors to the tune of about N10.4trillion while a total of about N765billion are unpaid certificates for executed works.”
He noted that, “As at October 2022, the Ministry had a cumulative unpaid certificate in the sum of N765,017,139,752.92 for ongoing highway and bridge projects.
