Miffed by the shoddy job on the Benin-Sapele-Ologbo Road by the contractors, the Minister of Works, Mr Dave Umahi, on Saturday threatened to terminate the multi-billion-naira reconstruction of the dilapidated federal government road if the contractors, Levant Construction Company, failed to comply strictly with the scope and specification of the work.
Umahi, who expressed dissatisfaction at the work, subsequently ordered the ministry’s supervising engineers to issue a warning letter to the contractors on Monday.
He added that after 14 days, should the contractors fail to do the right job, he would personally determine the contract.
Umahi, who was on an inspection tour of works done on federal roads in Edo State, was received by officials of the Federal Ministry of Works in Benin and those of the Edo State Ministry of Roads and Bridges.
The former governor of Ebony State, after inspecting the Benin-Ologbo axis, lamented that contractors in the country were playing politics with Nigerians and warned that he would not tolerate such behaviour under his watch.
“By Monday, give them a warning letter to start permanent work, and if they don’t start, give 14 days’ notice of termination. We paid multi-billion for this job, and we have seen that a lot of contractors in this country are just playing politics with us, and we have emphasised this severally. The minister ordered.
“We will pay a mobilisation fee to a contractor. We will never pay a Variation on Price (VOP) for the amount we have paid, and that is the problem with Levant. After 14 days of notice of termination, I will come and terminate the job myself.
“You cannot do this kind of job in your country; it can only happen in Africa. You can’t collect our money while misbehaving like this. It is a big shame. Look at how people are suffering everywhere, and we should be happy clapping for you. I have had more than 10 meetings with them on this job. If anything goes wrong, they will be calling the president.” He fumed.
The minister continued with his inspection of the Benin-Ekpoma-Auchi-Abuja expressway.
