Govt, firms sign N71b road contracts as ministry pledges funding

Minister of Works, Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Hassan Muhammad Lawal, who signed the documents on behalf of the government assured contractors handling Federal highway projects that funding is no longer a problem.

The 20 approved contracts are: rehabilitation of Otukpa-Ayangba-Ajaokuta-Okene road in Kogi State, awarded to Messrs Mould Nigeria Limited, at the contract sum of N4, 109,781,014.25, with a completion period of 27 months; rehabilitation of Agae-Katcha-Baro Road in Niger State, awarded to Messrs Impresit Bakolori Nigeria Plc, at the contract sum of N1,614,152,246.44, with a completion period of nine months.

Others are rehabilitation of Zaria-Gusau-Sokoto-Birnin-Kebbi road (Funtua-Gusau Section), awarded to Messrs Mothercat Limited, at the contract sum of N7, 941,669,771.22, with a completion period of 30 months; Asphalt Overlay Ajingi-Jahun-Kafin Hausa Road in Jigawa State, awarded to Messrs Techno Impex Nigeria Limited, at the contract sum of N1,764,096,757.50, with a completion period of 12 months; rehabilitation of Access Road to Eleme, Port Harcourt Refinery in Rivers State, awarded to Messrs Alren Constr. Nigeria Limited, at the contract sum of N3,030,865,379.63, with a completion period of 12 months.

The contract includes rehabilitation of Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene-Aba-Owerri Road, Section I (Calabar-Odukpani junction-Itu Bridge Head) in Cross River State, awarded to Messrs Akumast Nigeria Limited, at the contract sum of N2, 045,241,660.00, with a completion period of 18 months; rehabilitation of Itu-Bridge-Ikot Ekpene road in Akwa Ibom State, Contract N0. 6035, awarded to Messrs JMK Construction, at the contract sum of N1, 500,440,287.50 with a completion period of 12 months; rehabilitation of Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene-Aba-Owerri road: Section III: (Ikot Ekpene-Ikot Umuoessien-Aba) in Akwa Ibom State, awarded to Messrs Brent Investment Nigeria Limited, at the contract sum of N2,991,389,773.68, with a completion period of 20 months.

The rehabilitation of the Access Road to Apapa/Tin Can Island Port-NNPC Depot (Atlas Cove) in Lagos State, awarded to Messrs Borini Prono and Company Limited, at the contract sum of N8, 661,352,271.00, with a completion period of 27 months; Rehabilitation of Ogbomosho-Oko-Ilogbo-Oshogbo Road in Oyo/Osun States, awarded to Messrs Dutum Nigeria Limited, at the contract sum of N3,535,737,651.60, with a completion period of 18 months; Rehabilitation of Lagos-Ikorodu Road in Lagos State, awarded to Messrs Hajaig Construction Limited, at the contract sum of N1,402,873,146.00, with a completion period of nine months.

Similarly, the rehabilitation of Ipele-Ishua Road in Ondo State, awarded to Messrs Gomene Constr. Limited, at the contract sum of N2, 294,519,419.50, with a completion period of 20 months; rehabilitation of Oji-Achi-Maku-Awgu Ndeabor Road in Enugu State, Contract No. 6037, awarded to Messrs Master Holdings Limited, at the contract sum of N3, 287,120,702.25, with a completion period of 18 months; rehabilitation of Onitsha bound carriageway of the Onitsha-Enugu Road (Phase II of Section I) in Anambra State, awarded to Messrs CCC Construction Nigeria Limited, at the contract sum of N4,613,734,090.35, with a completion period of 30 months;

The rehabilitation of Otuocha-Ibaji-Nzam-Innoma-Iheaka Ibaji Section of Otuocha-Ibaji-Odulu-Ajegwu Road in Anambra State, awarded to Messrs Niger Construction Limited, at the contract sum of N5, 804,811,747.04, with a completion period 24 months; Rehabilitation of Nsukka-Obollo-Ikem-Ehamufu-Nkalagu Road in Enugu State, awarded Messrs Mife Construction Nigeria Limited, at the contract sum of N6, 446,051,729.71, with a completion period of 25 months; rehabilitation of Wukari-Takum Road in Taraba State, awarded to Messrs Moulds Nigeria Limited, at the contract sum of N2,999,543,053.89, with a completion period of 20 months; Construction of Gombe-Bye Pass in Gombe State, awarded to Messrs Triacta Nigeria Limited, at the contract sum of N3,092,064,579.45, with a completion period of 18 months;

The project includes rehabilitation of Ningi-Yadagungunme-Fuskar-Mata Road in Bauchi State, Contract No. 6042, awarded to Messrs Moulds Nig. Ltd, at the contract sum of N2, 251,128,725.77, with a completion period of 22 months; and rehabilitation of Jiberu-Sorau Road Route 347 in Adamawa State, awarded to Messrs D.A. Construction Limited, at the contract sum of N1, 594,558,428.75, with a completion period of 20 months.

The Minister said, “this 20 additional contract, from January 2009 to date, this ministry has awarded a total number of 67 highway contracts in this country. This is obviously unprecedented, but the beauty of it all is the fact that all the 67 road contracts awarded had been provided for in the 2009 budget and equally reflected in the proposed 2010 budget. It simply means that unlike in the past, funding is no longer a problem.”

Lawal urged the contractors to put in their best and utilise maximally the dry season said: “I want to seize this opportunity to appeal to you to reciprocate this gesture by working very hard, by taking advantage of the dry season, December – March – early April which is dry season period in Nigeria. In other words, you have no reason whatsoever to relax. I want to tell you and assure you that any contractor that provides its Bank Guarantee by Monday December 14, latest Wednesday December 16, will get the 15 per cent mobilisation fee paid. This is a departure from what used to happen, where a contract will be awarded, agreement signed, but it will take two – four months for the 15 per cent advance/mobilisation fee to be paid.”

The Minister reiterated the importance of supervision on road contract as it motivates the contractors. He appealed to the consultants, field engineers as well as controllers of Works to be on their toes to ensure that these projects are effectively supervised and monitored. In our own administrative level, we do intervene by periodically going out to supervise these projects. The field engineers and the consultants are in a better position to ensure that contractors are doing the jobs within specification, and also effectively”.

Minister of State for Works, Housing and Urban Development, Chief (Mrs.) Grace Ekpiwhre, said that standards would not be compromised. She encouraged the contractors to ensure they give the highest standard to guarantee long life support to these roads.

The Minister of State also said that “a lot of money is being committed to these projects and we expect that when the road is done, it should be able to serve us as long as possible before there is need for maintenance”.

Responding on-behalf of the contractors, the Managing Director Impresit Bakolori Nigeria Plc, Carlo Pepe, an engineer, promised that they would be committed to the completion of the projects in terms of quality and relationship with community and Nigerians in general.