The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi has decried the deplorable condition of the Abuja-Suleja-Minna federal roads, saying he did not see any construction work done by the contractor handling the project.
The Minister, who traveled by road from Abuja to Minna, Niger State capital, to attend a Stakeholders’ Engagement on the construction of the 125km 3-lane single carriageway of the Niger State component of the 1,068km Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, said he did not see any work done by Salini Nigeria Limited, the construction company handling the project.
Umahi made this assertion on Wednesday during his keynote address at the stakeholders’ meeting, which was held at the Hon. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre in Minna, Niger State.
“I have seen clips of the federal roads in Niger State. I was very happy to see it, and I want Nigerians to see that this is just a tip of the iceberg of the inherited projects of Mr. President. These are exactly the kind of projects. We have worse situations in some states.
“Mr. President inherited 2,604 projects as of May 29, 2023, totaling ₦13 trillion at that time. And certified projects of debts to contractors were about ₦1.6 trillion. Today, when we review those projects by the reason of realities on the ground, those projects total over ₦19 trillion. But Mr. President has not abandoned any of the projects. He has listed all of them in the 2024 appropriation.
“When we were coming here, I was very happy that I came through the roads, and I thank my Permanent Secretary. What I saw on that road was very disturbing. It was said to have been completed 84.5 percent and even paid for, and I was forced to stop and ask, ‘Where do we start counting this 84.5 percent?’ And they could not tell us. So nothing was done.”
“We are going to take decisive action on that road. There is no way we can allow a project to be as old as 14 years, and the contractor is receiving an annual budget. I don’t envy Salini; every budget, he comes, and he receives money, and he goes back, and nothing goes on. That will stop,” he said.
The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, who also spoke at the event, condemned the poor state of the Abuja-Minna federal roads, describing Salini Nigeria Limited as a failed construction firm. He called on the Works Minister to revoke all the roads the company had constructed. He requested the revoked jobs should be given to Hitech and CCECC, two other construction firms.
“We are calling on the Minister of Works to revoke all the jobs given to Salini; they are a failed company, and they don’t have capacity. That section of the roads from Abuja to Kaduna was also revoked. I’m calling on you to give Messrs Hitech and CCECC. That of Suleja-Minna Road should also be revoked and given to Hitech and CCECC. These companies have proven and shown capacity.
“And in the stakeholders’ engagement with you on Friday, if I am going to be there, I will come with the data and look them in the face and tell them they have failed because the kind of work they are doing is responsible for the huge collapse of these roads. If they really did good work, they should give us a guarantee of 30 years and 50 years,” Bago said.
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