The Minister Of Works and Housing,Babatunde Fashola (SAN)on Tuesday 1st November 2022 while defending proposed budget of his ministry in the 2023 Appropriation Bill before the House of Representatives Committee on works in Abuja, said the Federal Government owes contractors about N11.16tn for the construction of various highways across the country and certificates of completion..

He also said that his ministry had currently awarded 1,642 highway contracts for 1,632 projects at a total sum of N10.395tn.

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 N10.4tn, while a total of about N765bn are unpaid certificates for executed works.

“Secondly, 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.”

He also disclosed that the ministry had documented creation of 339,955 jobs across road projects, saying, “These are the human activities behind the kilometres (of road constructed).”