The Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi has issued directives to all Federal Controllers of Works, mandating the completion of at least four projects each ahead of their commissioning between February and May 20th this year.
Umahi, while addressing concerns over delays in several ongoing projects, stressed that there would be no tolerance for further setbacks.
A statement issued by the Ministry’s Director, Press and Public Relations, Mohammed A. Ahmed, in Abuja on Thursday quoted the minister to have given the directive while inspecting ongoing road projects in the Southeast and South-South geopolitical zones.
“The expectation is that every controller delivers on his mandates according to the specifications and timelines provided. There is no room for further delays,” he declared.
The minister also cautioned that the ministry would take decisive measures to address contractors who fail to meet their contractual obligations. Underperforming contractors could face severe consequences, including a 14-day notice of contract termination.
“The ministry will not tolerate delays. Any contractor who does not fulfil their commitments will face consequences. This action applies to all contracts where performance is subpar,” he warned.
Despite these challenges, the Minister assured Nigerians that President Bola Tinubu remains committed to the completion of both ongoing and newly initiated projects.
He noted that delays were not due to government neglect but rather contractor inefficiency, saying that Tinubu’s four legacy projects remain a top priority.
“The President has not abandoned these projects. It is the contractors who have delayed the work. This year, we will be stricter in ensuring that projects are completed on time,” he said.
Umahi stated that the Ministry would increase its supervision of all road and bridge projects to ensure alignment with Tinubu’s vision for national development.
He called for greater collaboration between the government, contractors, and the public to ensure that deadlines are met.
“No contractor should collect government funds and fail to deliver. Henceforth, we will be more observant and take necessary actions to ensure the successful completion of these projects,” he reasserted.
The Minister was also on Section IV (Aba-Port Harcourt) of the same alignment handled by Messrs. China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC).
He expressed displeasure over the slow pace of work, noting that they have only been able to access N7bn out of the N21bn 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 were no improvements in the tempo of work.
The tour of duty also took the Minister to the Bodo-Bonny Road, where he, again, voiced discontent with the level of work achieved.
He charged the contractor, Messrs. Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc (JBN), to upscale their deployment of men, materials, and machines, despite working throughout the Yuletide holidays.
The project, a critical component of the South-South zone’s infrastructure development, is a 2-lane road with hard shoulders, 17 bridges spanning 3,200 meters and reinforced concrete pavement on Bonny Island.
Umahi stressed the urgency to meet deadlines, emphasising that all federal contractors must intensify their efforts to ensure the timely realisation of projects.