Buhari excited on Dangote, FMN, NPA partnership over Apapa-Wharf Road—Minister
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola has revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari was highly astonished on hearing that Alhaji Aliko Dangote agreed to pull resources together with Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to fit the failed Apapa-Wharf Road.
Giving the insights while on an inspection tour of some road projects on the axis, the Minister said “President Muhammadu Buhari was happy with the financiers of the project: AG Dangote Construction Company, Flour Mills of Nigeria Ltd and the Nigerian Ports Authority”.
According to him, “President Buhari appreciates the gesture and wishes that other Nigerian corporate citizens can emulate that height of corporate social responsibility”.
Business Hilights recalls that the trio of Dangote, FMN and NPA had agreed to pull about N4.5bn for the redevelopment and expansion of the failed Wharf road from the Port gate to Ijora to ease the intractable challenge of traffic gridlock.
Fahsola also expressed confidence of the handling contractor, AG Dongote for speeding up the job and assured that some of the challenges listed by the company in the cause of their service delivery will be looked into by the government.
Fashola during the tour explained to reporters that while his ministry was working on making all roads in Apapa and its environs motorable because of the economic importance of the axis, being the nation’s gateway; the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amechi, was working to revive the rails to make movement of cargo in and out of the ports easier and all the efforts are geared towards decongesting the ports.
Mrs. Korede Keisha, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing Engineer supervising the project, had explained before the Minister that the project was being slowed down by the inability to relocate some gas pipes which were too expensive to move.“We decided to shift the road about one metre from the gas pipe, since the contractor, AG Dangote, cannot excavate for drains, he is excavating for the roads,’’ Keisha said.
However, former Lagos State Commissioner of Transportation, and Consultant to AG Dangote Construction Company Ltd on the project, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, explained that collaboration on the traffic management plan was helping the firm surmount the problem of gridlock, to free the site for construction.
He decried the activities of unorganised port operators causing congestion of trucks going into the ports.
Earlier in his remarks, Project Manager, AG Dangote Construction Company, Mr. Jimoh Tunde, who conducted the minister round some new equipment on site, said the machines were to ensure deep excavation for a solid foundation.
