BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The Federal Government has taken a bold move to terminate the contract for the rehabilitation of Section I of Abuja-Kaduna dual carriageway.
This followed the absence of Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) at a meeting summoned by the management of the Federal Ministry of Works for November 4, 2024, at its headquarters in Mabushi Abuja.
News Rider reports that the ministry had notified Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) about the meeting to explain its non-compliance with reviewed cost, scope and terms, stoppage of work and refusal to remobilise to site.
But given the failure of the construction company to attend the meeting, the ministry issued a 14-day Notice of Termination starting from November 4.
The Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Mohammed Ahmed said on Monday night in Abuja that the decision to terminate the contract was borne out of several months of going back and forth without any meaningful progress.
He pointed out that the ministry had in the last 13 months been in constant talks with the company, in order to reach an amiable position on the said alignment but there was no positive result.
Recall that the ministry had on October 23, 2024, issued a seven-day ultimatum to Julius Berger Plc over the delay in the completion of the rehabilitation of Section I of the Abuja-Kaduna road.
This was even as the Minister of Works, Engr David Umahi 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 on December 20, 2017, and flagged off by the then Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola on June 18, 2018, at an initial sum of N155.748,178,425.50 billion.
It was further revealed that the project was divided into three sections for ease of construction such as Abuja - Kaduna (Section I), Kaduna - Zaria (Section II) and Zaria - Kano (Section III).
A portion of Section II of the road was awarded to Messrs Dangote Industries Plc, who sub- contracted it to Messrs Hitech (Nig.) , even as Section IIl is handled by BUA (Nig.) Plc.
Section II is substantially completed, while Section III is at an advanced stage of completion but Section I is only about 27% completed.
Ahmed pointed out that Sections II and III were partially completed and handed over during the twilight of former President Muhammadu Buhari's administration.
"Since then, it has been one variation and augmentation or the other and finally, the present minister of works directed for the redesigning and re-scoping of the Section I of the contract.
"The alignment was divided into two, with one phase redesigned to be on Continuously Reinforced Concrete Pavement (CRCP), while the remaining will contain asphaltic pavement.
"Approval for Section I, Phase 1 for a length of 38 kilometres on concrete pavement was given to Messrs Dangote Industries (Nig.) Limited, while the remaining 127 kilometres remained with the substantive contractor. The Phase 1 was flagged off on October 17, 2024, with a 14-month completion period.
"Due to the stalemate of the contract andmmost importantly, the desire of President Bola Tinubu as encapsulated in the Renewed Hope Agenda to facilitate the completion of this laudable project and alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians plying the road, the ministry re-scoped it and got the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), "he added.
The director noted that the award for the re-scoping and downward review for the rehabilitation of Section I (Abuja-Kaduna) in favour of Messrs Julius Berger (Nig.) Plc was from N797,263,523,738.87 to N740,797,204,173.25, as granted by FEC on September 23, 2024 and conveyed to the company on October 3, 2024.
He stated that due to the economic importance of the road, the ministry conveyed the approval for a Final Offer on the Abuja - Kaduna dual carriageway to the company on October 23 2024, stating that they should agree in writing to accept the reviewed contract sum of N740,797,204,173.25 within seven days or risk the termination of the said contract.
The director lamented that rather than Julius Berger accepting the offer, they tinkered with the Bills of Quantities, as well as that of Engineering Measurements and Evaluation via a letter to the Ministry dated October 29, 2024.
He said that the company was summoned for a meeting with the management of the ministry on November 4, 2024, but refused to show up, a situation that promoted the termination of the contract based on effluxion of time and non- performance.
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