‘FG to execute roads contracts with available funds’

Regardless of fall in oil production, which Federal Government is attributing to lack of funds that may likely affect the execution of this year’s capital projects, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, Tobi Okechukwu, has assured that the government would do all that is possible to implement contracts on works based on the 2016 budget appropriations.

In an interview in Abuja, Okechukwu, who represents Aninri/ Agwu/ Oji-Uzo federal constituency of Enugu State warned citizens against panic over fears that have been expressed by the government over the implementation of the contracts, maintaining that the projections that have been given in the budget were rightly forecasted.

Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udo Udoma had at a town hall meeting organized by the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in Abuja, insisted that disruptions of oil production and decline in oil price were militating against the financing of 2016 budget.

“There is no need to worry about the execution of contracts that are related to works because the 2016 appropriations have taken care of that. I assure you that federal government will do all that is possible to implement projects based on the availability of funds.

“As I speak, contractors have been mobilized to sites and they are struggling to meet their various deadlines. I know that as we progress on the implementation of projects as contained in 2016 budget, more contracts will be awarded. Therefore, there is no need for panic,” the lawmaker said.