The House of Representatives Committee on Works has threatened to call for revocation of the ongoing Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road contract due to delay in the execution of the project by the Contractor, Julius Berger PLC.
Hon Abubakar Kabir, Chairman, House Committee on Works, who issued the threat notice while inspecting the project as part of the Committee’s oversight function, frowned at the quality of work done so far.
He argued that the House will not accept any request for extension of the completion date or a variation of the project, adding that it was disappointing that with only nine months left on the contract, no satisfactory progress on the work has been made.
However, while conducting the lawmakers through the project, the North Central Zonal Director of Works in the Federal Ministry of Works, Engr Kunle Yusuf told the Committee that 40 per cent of the work on 165km section one of the project (Abuja-Kaduna) covering about 62km has been completed, while work is yet to commence on over 100 kilometres of the road.
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While acknowledging that inspite of the lack of funding for the project as attested to by the contractors, Hon. Kabir observed that the Contractor has not shown any form of seriousness in completing the project, noting that: “N155 billion is no small money.”
He said if the company lacks the capacity to deliver the project on schedule, it should be revoked and re-awarded to several other companies so that it will be completed on schedule.
He said as a result of the delay in completing the project, several lives have been lost on the road, adding that “we cannot continue to lose lives on this road.”
According to a statement issued by the Committee, other lawmakers who expressed concern about the pace and quality of work being done by the contractors as well as lack of safety measure at the construction site.
They maintained that the Contractors must deliver on the contract by May 2021 which is the terminal date for the contract.
The lawmakers also underscored the need to ensure that the project is completed within the life span of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
In their evaluation, the committee members argued that after about 27 months since the commencement of work on the project, only less than 10 per cent of the work has been completed.
Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road contract
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