The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N169.74 billion for the award of contracts for the construction and rehabilitation of 10 roads across the country.

Mr Hakeem Bello, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Power, Works and Housing on Communication, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, NAN reports.

He said that the projects are to improve transportation infrastructure and restore the nation’s road network as part of implementation of the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

Bello said that the approval was sequel to a memorandum presented to the FEC on May 2 by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola.

He said the projects include: the rehabilitation of Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road, Calabar-Oban-Ekang road, Ado-Ekiti –Igede-Aramoko-Itawure road, Funtua-Dandume-Kaduna State border road and Makurdi-Gboko-Katsina-Ala road.

Others are: rehabilitation of old Enugu-Onitsha road, dualisation of the 74KM Aba-Ikot Ekpene road, Billiri-Filiya-Taraba State border road as well as construction of Yola-Fufore-Gurin road, four kilometre Township road in Gaya Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano State.

“To ensure the realisation of Federal Government’s objectives of restoring growth and investing in the people, the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing decided to initiate the road construction and rehabilitation,” Bello said.

He explained that the idea is to open up settlements, provide access for evacuation of goods and services as well as improve the socio-economic lives of the people within the stretch of the different communities in the project areas.

The Minister’s aide added that the projects are also targeted at creating employment for Nigerians. (DP)