The Federal Government, says it has spent over N49 billion to complete 11 federal road projects across the country in the last one year.

The Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, made this known yesterday while giving the stewardship of his ministry to newsmen in Abuja.

The briefing was in line with the ministerial platform approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to mark the 2012 Democracy Day as well as the one year anniversary of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Onolememen said that the 11 roads were part of the 168 road construction/rehabilitation projects inherited by the administration.

The minister said the completed roads had been provided with the necessary road signs and markings.

“The first on the list which is in the North Central zone is the construction of Bomp-Manchok road, the amount paid to date amounts to about N3.8 billion, still in the North Central, the Langtan-Tukur-Shendam road in Plateau State, the amount paid to date stands at N4.5 billion.

“The completion of the construction of the Gembu-Tongu road in Adamawa State and to date the ministry has paid about N4.6 billion, in the construction of Gombe-Numa-Yola road in Adamawa State, to date, the ministry has paid N3.8 billion.

“ The Gombe bye pass in Gombe State, to date the ministry has paid the sum of N2.1 billion, the access road to the Kaduna refinery, this project has recorded 100 per cent completion and to date the ministry has paid N800 million.

“On Kano-Kazaure-Daura-Yar’Ádua road in Katsina State, to date though the project stands at 100 per cent completion, the ministry has paid N3.8 billion.

“On the rehabilitation of the Aba-Owerri road in Abia and Imo States, to date the ministry has paid about N1.8 billion, on the rehabilitation of the Adaoru-Nsukka-Adani road in Enugu State, the ministry has paid the total sum of N1 billion.

“On the Onitsha-Owerri dual carriage road, to date the ministry has paid N19 billion, on the construction of Eleme junction fly over in Rivers State, to date the ministry has paid N5.6 billion.”

He said that the ministry was working assiduously to deliver on the roads based on available resources.

The minister said that government was also working to ensure that additional funds were accessed to complete other major road projects across the country.

On the provision of road signs and markings on major high ways, the minister explained that some of the newly completed roads had been provided with the necessary facilities, adding that the provision of road signs and markings was to ensure the safety of road users.

Onolememen, however, said roads that had been opened to users without road signs were not fully completed, adding that the Federal Government had decided to open such roads to ease the sufferings of road users.

The ministerial platform continues tomorrow with presentations from the Ministries of Water Resources, Agriculture and Environment.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday urged the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to seek ways of generating funds internally to free itself from the influence of money bags.

The President gave the advice in Abuja at a forum with the new members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.

Jonathan noted that achieving financial autonomy would free the party from depending on donations from rich party members, who in turn, would influence its decisions in one way or the other.

“Members of the party must pay monthly contributions based on our guidelines.

“We must all work to create an avenue where the party will source for funding, so that if you are the chairman of the party, members of the working committee can manage the party without excessive influence from people.

“Even though we expect all money bags to be in PDP, but we don’t want the money bags to influence the activities of the party,’’ he said.

According to the President, the party must come up with programmes that would make it financially self sustaining.

Jonathan pledged to always carry the party along in the running and implementation of government policies and programmes.

“My cabinet is totally committed and we will not come up with any major programme without involving the party.

“Whether you are in the executive or parliamentary arm of government, we all belong to our party and we must project the agenda of the party.

The President urged the party leadership to feel free to request all cabinet members to brief them on the activities of the government.

He challenged the party not to shy away from its responsibility of giving direction to the government and the legislature, to enhance good governance in the country.

The president admonished the party to enforce discipline among members, irrespective of status, adding that the leadership must ensure that the party’s guidelines were followed and implemented to the latter.

“In South Africa, the ANC can admonish the President because the party is superior’’.

In his goodwill message, the pioneer National chairman of PDP, Chief Solomon Lar urged the new leadership of the party to remain united and make patriotism their watchword.

Chairman, Convention Committee, Chief Ojo Maduekwe and the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamangar Tukur, in their separate speeches, assured the President of their unflinching support.