The Federal Government has approved funding for the rehabilitation of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway and the construction of the Bodo-Bonny road, including bridges across the Opobo Channel.
The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, also urged Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc to expedite these critical infrastructure projects.
A statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the Special Adviser to Umahi on Media, Orji Uchenna Orji, quoted him speaking during a meeting with Julius Berger (Nig.)Plc represented by its Executive Director, Projects, Engr. Benjamin Bott and the Head of Contract Management, Omonigho Brown, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
During the meeting, Umahi said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved revisions to the contracts for both projects on September 23, 2024.
The total contract sum for the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway is now set at N740.8bn, while the Bodo-Bonny road project is pegged at N80.1bn.
Umahi emphasized the urgency of the projects, particularly the 82-kilometer Section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano route, and called on Julius Berger to mobilize resources across all project sections to ensure completion within 14 months.
He clarified that of the approved N740bn, approximately N340bn remains to be disbursed for the remaining work.
He said, “Then we have section II, which is 82 kilometres by two, which is the section that JBN Plc is working on. And so, if you check what FEC approved on the 23rd of September, FEC had approved that the total contract sum within the scope of Berger would be N740bn, which means that if you remove N391bn paid already, you now have about N340bn remaining, which is the scope of their work for the 164 kilometres.”
He urged the contractor to mobilize in the four sections of the Abuja – Zaria – Kaduna – Kano project to finish the job within 14 months.
Umahi also noted that the prices given on the said projects were the best in view of the economic reality of the time.
He added, “So we are appealing to you not to try to increase the contract sum because it will not be possible. And we have written to the President to approve that if JBN Plc does not accept the N740bn, we will terminate the contract.
“We have terminated some of their jobs because we’ve been negotiating sometimes 12 months, 13 months. There must be an end to negotiation.
“We are ready to pay you (JBN Plc) even fresh mobilisation, just to underscore the interest of the President on this project. So we are appealing and begging you that by Monday, you should be able to sign the addendum to the contract.”
He harped on the need for JBN Plc to mobilize in multiple locations of the two projects to complete them in record time.
On the Bodo-Bonny project, he said; “We don’t think we have any issue. We’ve agreed on the N280bn, which is the new contract sum that is fixed, and then for a 12-month completion period; that is an additional 12 months.
“So we want you to mobilize in a minimum of three locations. So that within these 12 months, we’ll be able to finish the job.”
He went further to state, “In the letter to NLNG, we have to also propose 30 per cent advance payment so that they will be able to have enough funds to mitigate inflation and any form of variation.”