2019 and its general elections are finally behind the country and President Muhammadu Buhari on new year day restated commitment to deliver on electoral promises as he listed 12 projects that his administration will be embarking on in 2020.
Buhari in a letter he wrote to Nigerians to commemorate the new year, said the new decade presents opportunities to build on the foundations that his administration has laid on security, economy diversification and corruption in the last four years.
According to him, the next 12 months will witness the gradual implementation of plans and actions that will lead to significant improvements in infrastructure, power, agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
“Already, we are making key infrastructure investments to enhance our ease of doing business. On transportation, we are making significant progress on key roads such as the Second Niger Bridge, Lagos – Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja – Kano highway.
“2020 will also see tangible progress on the Lagos to Kano Rail line. Through Executive Order 007, we are also using alternative funding programmes in collaboration with private sector partners to fix strategic roads such as the Apapa-Oworonshoki Express way. Abuja and Port Harcourt have new international airport terminals, as will Kano and Lagos in 2020.
“When completed, all these projects will positively impact business operations in the country. These projects are not small and do not come without some temporary disruption; we are doing now what should have been done a long time ago. I thank you for your patience and look forward to the dividends that we and future generations will long enjoy,” Buhari wrote.
The 12 projects Nigerians should expect to come on stream in 2020 as unveiled by the President include:
- 47 road projects scheduled for completion in 2020/21, including roads leading to ports;
- Major bridges including substantial work on the Second Niger Bridge;
- Completion of 13 housing estates under the National Housing Project Plan;
- Lagos, Kano, Maiduguri and Enugu international airports to be commissioned in 2020;
- Launching of an agricultural rural mechanisation scheme that will cover 700 local governments over a period of three years;
- Launching of the Livestock Development Project Grazing Model in Gombe State where 200,000 hectares of land has been identified;
- Training of 50,000 workers to complement the country’s 7,000 extension workers;
- Commissioning of the Lagos – Ibadan and Itakpe – Warri rail lines in the first quarter;
- Commencement of the Ibadan – Abuja and Kano – Kaduna rail lines also in the first quarter;
- Further liberalisation of the power sector to allow businesses to generate and sell power;
- Commencement of the construction of the Mambilla Power project by the first half of 2020; and
- Commencement of the construction of the AKK gas pipeline, OB3 gas pipeline and the expansion of the Escravos – Lagos pipeline in the first quarter of 2020.
