BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
Engr David Umahi
The Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi has fired back at the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) Hon Remi Oseni over the derogatory statement made against him and the Ministry.
Addressing newsmen on Monday, Umahi berated Oseni for meddling into the affairs of the ministry without requisite information to back up his claims, describing his actions as damaging to the National Assembly.
News Rider reports that the House chairman on FERMA had during an interactive session on Thursday, October 24, 2024, at the National Assembly accused the minister of neglecting the repair of deteriorating roads but rather channeled his energy on misplaced priorities.
Oseni had blamed Umahi for excessively focusing on the N15 trillion Lagos-Calabar Super Highway project without any concrete plan to fix other Federal roads across the country despite the funds allocated to the ministry.
But Umahi, who was absent during the interactive session and was briefed by his team, threw back the tantrums, describing the lawmaker as contractors representatives.
He said: "The lawmaker seems to harbor resentment. His comments don’t reflect the professional work of the 10th National Assembly. No one has ever accused me of failure; my record speaks for itself. His remarks sound like those of a contractor’s representative.
"We make no apologies for our stance on stopping frequent requests for Variation of Price (VOP) and Foreign Exchange Differentials on contracts. It makes no sense to award a contract in October and then have requests for VOP by November."
He demanded an apology from the lawmaker for misleading Nigerians and peddling lies capable of destroying President Bola Tinubu-led administration's progress in road infrastructure development.
On N300 billion approved by President Bola Tinubu for emergency road projects, the minister added: "I am pleased to inform you that out of over 330 road projects, including bridges, more than 80 percent of those captured have been completed."
The minister vowed not to join issues with Oseni given his pedigree and respect for the Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon Tajudeen Abbas; Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and by extension the entire members of the National Assembly.
Umahi added: "He (Oseni) said I have failed…No one in life ever said I have failed and I have never failed in anything I am involved in and if he likes he should go and check my pedigree. I believe that God has to be with him to attain half of what I have attained in life. So, I will not join issues with him because I have tremendous respect for Mr Speaker and the National Assembly.
"When we launched operation take back our roads last month, we made it clear that when a permanent work is ongoing on a road project, it is very important that we use part of the budget to repair the entire road so that people will be passing while the permanent work is in progress."
Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene Road
The Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road (Route A.4-1) traverses through Cross River and Akwa Ibom States in the South-South geopolitical zone. The total length of the road is 87.5 Km starting from Tinapa Junction in Cross River state and terminating at Ibiakpan roundabout in Akwa Ibom state. The road traverses towns and settlements such as Ikot Okon, Ikot Nyong, Itu, Ayadeghe, Mbak, Ikot Akpan, Ibiaku and Otuep.
Umahi provided update on the road, which has been in a deplorable situation for years.
"Today (Monday) we are meeting with two contractors handling Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene road because it has been in a very terrible state. Some people spend seven hours on that road and we have done everthing possible to pay the contractors.
"Just last week, two people drowned in the river because they used alternative route. Others missed their flights by spending seven hours on the road. I believe that the Permanent Secretary spoke with the two Controllers supervising the project but all through anywhere we are working, we don't want to see a single porthole there.
Keffi–Toto Road
The contract for 118.9km Keffi-Toto road project in Nasarawa State was approved for rehabilitation during the tenure of former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.
It was approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in 2022 at the cost of N36.130 billion and awarded to a Chinese firm, Messrs Wizchino Engineering Limited.
With an expected completion period of 24 months, the contractor partially abandoned the project but Engr Umahi-led administration commenced work on the project, though it is moving on a snail speed.
Umahi said: "The contractor is on site but the work is very slow due to the ongoing augmentation on the project. We do not have enough funds to do the augmentation. We are reviewing all the inherited projects from pervious administration based on the available funds and we are handling the projects."
Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road
The minister had last week Tuesday issued a seven-day ultimatum to Julius Berger Plc over the delay in the completion of the rehabilitation of Section II of the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano dual carriageway.
He directed the construction company to either accept or reject the approved reviewed sum of ₦740, 797,204,713.25 billion or face contract termination.
The 82 kilometre Abuja -Kano project with contract No. 6350 was originally awarded to Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc in 2018.
It was divided into three sections for ease of construction such as Abuja - Kaduna (Section I), Kaduna - Zaria (Section II) and Zaria - Kano (Section III).
Section II is substantially completed, while Section III is at an advanced stage of completion but Section I is only about 27% completed.
Irked by the slow progress on the road, Umahi enjoined Julius Berger Plc. to show corporate patriotism by accepting the Federal Government’s approved reviewed total contract sum of N740 billion, adding that the contract sum rose from ₦710 billion to ₦740 billion due to the delays.
He lamented that the delay in mobilising to the site despite approved funds by the Federal Executive Council is causing untold hardship to the road users and the Federal Government is at the receiving end of the situation.
Recalling the intricacies surrounding the project on Monday, the minister said: "Mr President approved that we should pay 30 percent of the contract sum, which underscored the importance of the road to him. There is no other project that has been given much attention than the Abuja –Kano dual expressway.
"There is no tax credit on the road because Mr President has so much value for the road. The project will not just cost N740 billion, we will have to deploy a minimum of four sections and each section is independent and work is ongoing at the same time.
"There will be no variation at all unless one dollar to naira rises to N2000 but may God forbid. There will be no claim of VOP or foreign exchange differential. This is the same condition that we have given the contractor handling the Legacy Project, which is the coastal Superhighways. If we pay the contractor 30 percent for mobilisation even if inflation goes up, we will not review the 30 percent."
Rep Oseni's Outburst
Rep Oseni also disparaged the minister for saying that paucity of funds delayed the completion of some projects.
He added: "You (Umahi's representative) are not here to tell us what we already know in the area of resources. So, if you are telling us the reason you have failed in fixing our road infrastructure is because of resources — don’t let me take you up on that because you concentrated your energy as a minister on less priority issues.
"Don’t discuss resources. All the roads that we have across the country have failed. If you are addressing the existing roads with the resources that you have, Hon minister, we will not be where we are. Don’t discuss resources.
"Last year, you got N300 billion supplementary budget approval. Don’t raise my emotions. I am worried that you are not concerned about fixing Nigerian roads. We are not here for business of whether you want to do the job or you don’t want to do the job. Stop telling us you are awarding road contracts.
"We don’t want you to be awarding roads that you are not ready to do. How can you be telling us that there are no resources? With what everybody (lawmakers) has said, it is a clue that you have no plan for us as a nation."
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