The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Mahmuda Mamman has assured States of the Ministry’s willingness to partner and collaborate with them.
He made this disclosure while hosting the Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Dr Dauda Lawal in the Ministry’s Headquarters office in Abuja over the weekend.
The Permanent Secretary said, ‘’The Ministry is willing to collaborate and partner with states in order to make life more meaningful for all Nigerians not necessarily people of Zamfara state because we are here to serve the interest of the country and we are also ready to do that, Your Excellency.”
While responding to the request of the Governor, he said, FMW&H and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA ) will work out a plan to be used as intervention strategy on the Funtua–Gusau Road he assured.
According to the statement released by the Ministry Spokesperson, Mamman also assert that, “We are touching lives in so many ways and we really want to touch the lives of Nigerians especially the people plying that axis”
Mr Mahmuda has also instructed, the Director, Highways and Reconstruction Engr Folorunsho Esan of the Ministry to mobilize and put necessary machinery in place to ensure that work starts from both ends of Funtua–Gusau Roads in the shortest possible time.
The Governor, earlier in his remarks, thanked the Permanent Secretary for granting his request despite the short notice, he said “the reason we are here today is to seek for partnership with FMW&H in different areas of concern.
“I am aware of what the Ministry is dong, in touching the lives of the people across the country, l am also aware that the contract for the dualization of Funtua -Gusau Road has been signed by the Ministry .
Governor Lawal said that they were in the Ministry for two reasons, first to seek for the support of the Ministry to ensure that the contract startes from the Gusau end of the road.
And to also draw the attention of the Ministry and FERMA to the bad portions of the Gusau –Funtua road, so that it could be fixed before the major work starts for easy movement as the road is in a very bad shape
Commenting on the Governors request, Eng Esan said, “Contractors are only waiting for mobliliszation advance and as soon as that is done, funding will not be a challenge, contractors can start from both ends of the road, there shall be no fear from whatever location they start from, either from Gusau or not.”
Director, Highways Construction and Rehabilitation also said that, in 2020 Special intevention projects were signed for Zamfara roads and most of them have been completed .
He said, “In 2023 we have planned special intervention projects for Zamfara roads as well to make life easy for the people”.