The Federal Government has disclosed that the implementation plan for the first phase of the Highway Development and Management Initiative, HDMI, would attract N160 billion investments and create 46,694 direct jobs
Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing said this at a webinar convened at the instance of the Ministry of Works in collaboration with ICRC and LBS as part of the stakeholder’s consultation towards implementing a Highway Development and Management Initiative (HDMI).
He explained that the HDMI is totally home grown, developed within the Ministry, by our staff, young and old, and in collaboration with ICRC.
This is a totally made in Nigeria initiative in conception and execution thus far; although it is already exciting and eliciting interest beyond the shores of Nigeria.
What we have done now is to identify 10 highways representing about 2,225 km and 6.4% of our 35,000km Federal Highway Network as a pilot first phase of the HDMI.
On each road, we see opportunities for:
a) Erection of gantries and directional signage (all of which our ministry has designed, standardized and costed);
b) Toll plazas (already designed and standardized);
c) Weighbridges partly constructed, needing completion and a warehouse to operate it;
d) Street lighting and advertising opportunities
e) Rest areas, sites already identified, concept designs developed with facilities for catering, lodging, fueling, car repairs, spare parts sales opportunities;
f) Road repairs, maintenance, vegetation clearing and labour opportunities;
g) Towing vehicle operation for recovery of broken-down vehicles;
h) Lane marking with thermoplastic paints;
i) Waste management;
j) Right of way management for telecommunication assets.
k) Ambulance services with first Responders during emergencies.
The Minister said their research and studies suggest that on this journey, the first phase of 10 routes of 2,225 km can elicit an investment of over N160 billion, approximating to about N16bn per route and unleash opportunities for prosperity.
With this, we anticipate about 46,694 direct jobs spanning construction, Installation, fabrication, security, and waste management to mention a few. The indirect job opportunities and spin-offs remain a matter of excitable and mouth-watering expectation.
We are currently also strengthening our internal processes to ensure that every highway is identifiable with one officer of our ministry under the Know Your Road and Own Your Networks, where the name of the officer will be published on our COHIMS software, which will be the updated real time database for the entire national road network.
According to him, this initiative seeks to achieve is to bring order, accountability and profitable entrepreneurship to the operation, management and maintenance of our federal highways.
Very soon, in collaboration with ICRC, we will announce the bidding process in a transparent manner that allows the most effective bids to compete vigorously in a process that delivers service to Nigerians, Fashola said.
The Minister advice interested persons to form their consortium of construction/road maintenance companies, financiers, toll operators, rest house operators, advertising companies, lane marking experts, refuse managers and other partners and begin to tour, visit or inspect the route that interest them.
