Three road construction companies working on the South-South and South-East roads of the country have been warned to step up their work or face termination of their contracts with the federal government.
Minister of Works, David Umahi chided the three construction companies for slow pace of work threatening the completion of the road projects ahead of May 29, 2025.
Umahi who was on an inspection tour of the East-West road, slammed the contractors on that section of the road namely, Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc (JBN) Messrs Reynolds Construction Company (RCC), and Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC).
The minister gave a thumbs up for the Messrs Arab Contractors (Nig.) Ltd. on the quality of work it has done so far but instructed them to deploy in two more sites to speed up the construction and, most importantly, meet the set dateline.
The Minister who is determined to ensure that Iberians have more good roads to ply, issued clear directives to Federal Controllers of Works to present at least four (4) completed projects, each, for commissioning from the month of February to 20th May, this year.
“The expectation is that every Controller delivers on his mandates, according to specifications and time allotted. There is no room for further delays,” he declared.
On the other three, contractors, he expressed his disappointment with their work speed and tasked them to square up or face termination of the contract.
The minister who is anxious to deliver on the President Bola Tinubu-led Renewed Rope Agenda of the All Progressives Congress threatened to terminate their contract with the ministry if the country does not get value for money especially when they have accessed over 30 per cent of the N21,000,000,000 project.
According to a statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Mohammed A. Ahmed, the minister tour took him to Section IV (Aba – Port Harcourt) of the same alignment being handled by Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC).
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He expressed displeasure over the slow pace of work, noting that the company have been able to access N7, 000,000,000:00 (Seven Billion Naira) out of the N21,000,000,000:00 (Twenty -One Billion Naira) provided for the project, last year.
“Consequently, he instructed the Federal Controller of Works (FCW), Rivers State to issue a warning to the contractor, promising to terminate it, if there are no improvements on the tempo of work,” the statement said.
Although he expressed satisfaction with the quality of work on Section III of the East-West Road, of Eleme Junction – Onne Junction, he directed the Contractor, Messrs Reynolds Construction Company (RCC) to deploy more resources to hasten the pace of work or face re-scoping and re-award of the contract.
For the minster the quality of work and timely delivery were all part of the contracts hence these must go together.
The Minister gave the warning reminding the contractor that he has up to the end of April, 2025 to deliver a section of the carriageway.
At the Bodo-Bonny Road, Umahi expressed the discontent of federal government on the with the level of work achieved by the construction giant Julius Berger Nigeria (JBN).
Umahi who said the project was critical component of the South-South Zone said meeting its deadline on the project was important to the federal government and the Nigerian people who will be plying the road for their businesses.
He urged Julius Berger to upscale their deployment of men, materials and machines, despite working throughout the Yuletide holidays. According to him the important infrastructure development project consists of a 2-lane road with hard shoulders, 17 bridges spanning 3,200 meters and reinforced concrete pavement on Bonny Island.
At all construction sites visited, Engr. Umahi stressed the urgency to meet deadlines, emphasising that all Federal contractors must intensify their efforts to ensure the timely realisation of projects, in line with the Federal Government’s resolve to enhance infrastructure and transportation as enablers of growth, succinctly captured in the Renewed Hope Agenda. The essence is to improve connectivity, as well as stimulate socio-economic growth, he further explained.
On the import of value for money to the Federal government and Nigerians, Umahi said, government would be left with no option but to take decisive action as “any contractor, who does not meet his contractual obligations, will face the consequences, cumulating into a 14-day Notice of Termination of Contract,” emphasising that such actions would apply to all underperforming contracts.
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