The Bola Tinubu-led administration plans to spend a total of N11.54 trillion in the coming months to install Closed Circuit Television Cameras (CCTVs) on nine highways across the country.
The initiative, led by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, aims to enhance road security by also installing solar lighting. Umahi has established three committees to ensure the swift implementation of the project.
The federal government has agreed to partner with the private sector to improve facilities and operations on selected routes, with an expected revenue generation of over N11.54 trillion over a 25-year concession period.
The Public Private Partnership arrangement allows concessionaires to recover their investments through negotiated toll and non-toll revenues.
However, eight months after consent was granted, the contractors are yet to arrive at the site, aggravating the minister during a meeting with directors last week.
He said, “This issue has lingered for four years and six months now, but this January, we must conclude everything about the successful companies this month. Those companies who are jokers will be taken out. if we have one or two serious contractors, we engage them to take over the project site.”
However, addressing the occasion held at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, Umahi emphasized the importance of the committees working successfully and collaboratively while keeping Nigerians’ expectations in terms of openness, standard, and efficiency in contract negotiations.
