In spite of the poor road directions across country,
the federal government has revealed that Nigeria's
roads are far better than what some other
countries in the world can boast of as road
infrastructure. The Minister of Power, Works and
Housing, Babatunde Fashola, made this disclosure
at the just concluded 23rd National Council of
Works meeting in Abuja, pointing out that the
country can no longer depend solely on road maps
which do not cover notable places in the country.

Fashola who said he had visited some countries in
the world and observed that the quality of
materials laid on Nigeria' roads are far better that
what they have over there, added that "While our
ongoing road projects across the nation are still in
various stages of completion, our economic needs
have compelled us to refuse to wait until everything
is done before we begin to confer the benefits of
lane marking and street signage on our people.

"Regardless of the economic situation of the
country, the Ministry has refused to wait for funds
before commencing on marking of roads,
installation of street signs for Nigerians who want
to see good road. We have met in the Ministry and
agreed to compile the list of roads where
significant sections have been completed, and
prepare them for procurement and award of sub-
contracts in collaboration with our main contracts,
and this procurement will then be advertised as
required by law and subject to an open and
competitive bid", Fashola noted.

Speaking on the importance of road signage,
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT,
Muhammad Bello, said road signs are particularly
important in the FCT due to the increasing number
of vehicles plying its roads on a daily basis.
Bello who stated that the Works' meeting was key
to the Capital Territory, added that the outcome of
the deliberations would provide the much needed
input for policy making to address the problem of
inadequate and poor road signage on some of the
Capital's highways.

Represented by the Executive Secretary of FCDA,
Eugene Jubrin, an engineer, the minister said "I
urge you all to bear in mind that your decisions will
have far reaching impact on this administration's
efforts at ensuring improved safety and comfort on
our highways, which is demonstrated by the huge
budgeting provision to the Works sector by the
administration in the last two years." Director,
Highway Planning and Development, Chukwinike
Uzo, an engineer, said the theme of this year's
meeting addressed the need to ensure safety on
the country's roads.

According to him, "The meeting of the National
Council on Works provides a forum in which
stakeholders in the Works sector will deliberate
concerning the road sector with a view to coming
up with the decisions on how to solve problems
associated with the construction and maintenance
of highways/roads in Nigeria", Uzo said.

Mr. Kayode Olagunju, Assistant Corps Marshal,
Policy, Research and Statistics, said that it is at the
Ministry's Council meeting that decisions on roads
are taken in partnership with the FRSC, pointing out
that the FRSC produces standard road details in
line with the 1968 convention which are meant to
give direction to road users across the country

"Those signs are meant to inform, they are meant
to direct, they are also useful in guiding officers
who work. If there are dangers ahead the road
signs will tell you for example, a sign to let you
know that there a narrow bridge or bend ahead, so
that before you get there, you are already aware of
it, and you will know how to slow down to avoid
danger", Olagunju said.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201707250456.html

CC LALASTICLALA CC MYND44

Haa fashola. Giving excuses for failure