A completed road in Lagos State.PHOTO: ASKLEGALPALACE

All monies spent by state governments for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of federal roads in their domains have been cleared by the Federal Government, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has said.

He also stated that construction and rehabilitation works were currently ongoing on 13,000km of roads out of the 35,000km federal roads across the country.

The minister said these during a live television programme on Saturday night that was monitored by our correspondent in Abuja.

Asked whether the Federal Government would still allow states to fix federal roads in their domains and be refunded later, the minister replied in the negative.

“Certainly no! That is the existing directive. The states also have their own roads. Which state has finished all its roads?” Fashola asked.

He added, “And Mr President is saying that I met debts owed by my predecessors to states for intervention by states on several roads and thank you very much, I will do the honourable thing, I will pay those debts, which he has gladly finished paying.

“So when people say we are borrowing money, is partly to pay debts owed by previous administration to state governments so that they can use their resources to then go and fix the roads.”