The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the construction of portions of the Trans-Sahara routes running from Enugu to Ogoja and from Badagry to Sokoto.

The minister of works, Sen. Dave Umahi, disclosed this while addressing newsmen after the FEC, held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.

Mr Umahi stated that the FEC directed the ministry of finance to expedite action on its own part.

He said, “I presented a memo for approval on the coastal roads running from Lagos to Port Harcourt to Cross River.

“And then one of the harvest roads to the Trans-Sahara route, which is running from Enugu, Abakaliki-Ogoja, down to Cameroon, is Africa Trans-Sahara, and another road under Phase 2.

“Also from Badagry to Sokoto. So, it was approved to be into finance in a model of EPC + F, which is Engineering, Procurement, Construction plus Financing.”

Mr Umahi said that the council deliberated, approved, and directed the Ministry of Finance to expedite action on its own part.

On his part, FCT minister Nyesom Wike disclosed that FEC approved the award of a contract for the construction of access roads for the Abuja Light Rail.

“We are aware that President Bola Tinubu has given a directive that very soon he would want to ride on the light rail, and that will not be possible if there are no access roads for commuters in communities around.

“Recently, the council approved Lot 3, but this one has to do with Lot 4. Lot 4 has to do with communities around the airport.

“If we don’t create an access road, it will be difficult. And so it has been approved to Messers CCPCC at the cost of N5.5 billion,” Mr Wike said.

(NAN)