Federal government has given the contractors handling federal road projects across the country December 2022 deadline to complete the projects for commissioning before the end of its tenure.
The Minister of State for Works and Housing, Umar Ibrahim EL – Yakubu stated this while inspecting the Dualization of Kano – Maiduguri Road Section 1, covering Kano – Wudil – Shuarin awarded to Messrs Dantata and Sawoe Construction Co, Nigeria Limited since 2006.
El-Yakubu said that on the part of government, it will continue to push and support speedy completion and commissioning of all roads nearing completion before the end of the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration.
“On our part, we will continue to push you to ensure quick delivery. We want to be able to commission this project before the end of this year. I don’t know why you are mentioning next year. We don’t have many months left to commission this project, and I am sure putting in the right resources after the rainy season , you will be able to meet up,” he said.
The Minister of State noted that all road contracts are being awarded to competent and capable contractors and so there is no reason why you can’t deliver on time as funding which might be the challenge has been addressed by the Government of President Muhammdu Buhari by providing alternative funding schemes apart from the yearly budgetary allocation.
“You have I suppose the capacity and competence to do the job. I believe you can do better so you need to challenge yourself but if you hadn’t the competence and the capacity, that’s a different thing but you do. So it is a matter of harnessing those potentials and leveraging on the resources at your disposal,” EL-Yakub said.
EL-Yakub also disclosed that the project has taken too long but the commitment of the present administration to deliver on road infrastructure because of the recognition of its importance to lives and livelihood in job creation and national development, the road needs to be completed and delivered.
“We want to complete this project, it has taken too long, Nigerians have been patient but thank God for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari that has commitment to delivering road infrastructure because of the recognition of what it does to lives and livelihood of Nigerians. You know every side of it creates job and we need those jobs both direct and indirect,” he said.
The Minister admonished all contractors to be engaging the youths more especially the graduates to be given proper training on construction sites for them to have practical knowledge of what they studied in the universities and higher institutions in order to ensure competent personnels and technicians in the construction industry.
He added that more Nigerians should be allowed to participate in construction companies be it foreign or Nigerian owned.
The minister appreciated the contractor for the work done so far and encouraged them to increase their pace and achieve more before the end of the year.
Briefing the Minister of State earlier on the scope of work, the Engineer Representative on site, Hanish Kolayoka Sarjius explained that the 207.73 km road project was awarded in 2006 but has a set back because of lack of fund but since the project was placed under SUKUK, there has been an appreciable work done on the road.
He added that the flyovers 1 and 2 and river bridges 1, 2, and 3 have been completed and so the overall percentage completion work to date is 69.57% with a time lapse of 103.83%.
The Project Manager of Dantata and Sawoe Construction Company Nigeria Limited, Roy Hunushi appreciated the Federal Government for awarding the contract to them, saying that the project would be delivered and that they were working in line with the laid down procedures.
In a statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry of works and housing, Blessing Lere-Adams, he requested for the release of fund to enable them deliver the project as scheduled though the rainy season has delayed the pace of work on site.
