…FG targets 14 months -Umanyi
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Thursday said that President Bola Tinubu is determined to see the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano road completed in a record time.
The 38km Abuja-Kaduna section of the road is estimated at the cost of N126, 562,444,943.93 billion.
This is as the Minister of Works, David Umanyi set a target of 14 months for the completion of the project which will gulp
The duo spoke when they visited the Kaduna end of the section.
The ministers were accompanied by the Special Assistant, Media to the President, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz and other senior management staff of the ministry of works.
Idris said the purpose of the visit was to demonstrate the government’s determination to end the politics relating to the road project because of its importance to the region.
He said, “The president is very determined to ensure this road from Abuja to Kano is completed in record time and if you listen to the minister he say it is for that reason and other reasons that there’s disagreement with Julius Berger that has said that it will still take them another three years to construct this road. This is not acceptable to government and the president say he cannot accept that, this road has to be completed in a time that is half of the duration that Julius Berger has proposed and that is why it is going to happen God’s willing within 14 months and that is why it was also broken into three segments for ease of construction.
Nigerians, especially those who are applying this road are eager to see the completion of this road.”
He stressed that “delay of any kind would not be acceptable.”
He also commended the National Assembly for giving necessary support.
He was hopeful that with the cooperation of all stakeholders, “there will be no issues, and within 14 months we’re going to have brand new road flying from Abuja to Kano.
“Politics should be kept aside, there’s determination to complete this road and we’ll come back here. This is not a one-off thing, we’ll come here periodically with the honourable minister,” he stressed.
In his remarks, Umanyi said he would be presenting a memo for approval for the re-award of the project to another firm at the next Federal Executive Council meeting.
He said the ministry has already received a “no objection from the Bureau for Public Procurement.”
He also gave reason for the termination of the contract initially awarded to Julius Berger.
He said, “We ‘ve terminated it and then we’ve to re-award it to another contractor again.”
Umanyi disclosed that the Julius Berger contract was terminated after a series of negotiations spanning over 12 months.
He said there was disagreement with the cost and also project duration.
Julius Berger, according to the Minister, was quoting a higher sum of over one trillion naira and a three year completion period.
He therefore said “As it stands, the project has been irrevocably terminated following due process and open for tendering to allow other contractors to bid.”
He said the ministry also invited Julius Berger to partake in the new bid alongside five other firms but the company failed to submit its bid.
