BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The Federal Government has insisted that one of the telecommunication giants, MTN will pay three contractors ₦202 billion, being the original contract sum, for the construction of 79 kilometers road.
This is even as the remaining 72km of the road will be awarded to other contractors through due process, while MTN and RCC would be invited to bid for the project.
Minister of Works, Engr. Nweze David Umahi stated this while receiving a delegation from the Anambra and Enugu caucus of the 10th National Assembly in Abuja recently.
The delegation were in Abuja to seek the Federal Government's intervention for the speedy completion of the Enugu–Onitsha Expressway handled by RCC Limited and funded by MTN under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
The minister resolved that the Federal Ministry of Works will write the MTN to demand that they should pay contractors a minimum of ₦15 billion every month for the next 10 months to enable them fast track the completion of the Enugu- Onitsha Expressway, failing which the Ministry would initiate termination of the project.
Umahi frowned that MTN failed to comply with Tax Credit Executive Order in executing the project, just as he linked delay on the job to poor funding and poor contract execution, which led to over 100 percent increase of the project cost.
He pointed out that allowing MTN to execute the project for more than 11 months could further push the contract to increase by over 200 percent, a situation he declared unacceptable to the Federal Government.
Umahi assured the people of South East of the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to transform the transportation infrastructure in the six geopolitical zones.
The minister sympathised with families that lost their loved ones along the uncompleted sections of Enugu-Onitsha expressway especially the recent tanker explosion on the Ugwu Onyema axis of the road that killed scores of people.
He stated that the people of South East should be confident of President Tinubu’s administration in addressing the road infrastructure deficit in the Southeast and other geopolitical zones of Nigeria, noting that under Mr. President, South East has been given a pride of place in the political landscape of Nigeria.
The minister said: "Again, we should also be grateful to Mr. President. Since he became the President, we have not heard about farmers and herders clashes in the South East. Mr. President inherited 2,064 projects, totaling about N13 trillion, and today, those projects will be over N20 trillion by reason of the floating of the Naira and the removal of fuel subsidy. It's nobody's fault. But by his good heart and commitment to rewriting the story of this country, he will make Nigeria great again.
He said: “We want the National Assembly members and of course, South East stakeholders to commend the President at all times because this is not party something. And I can beat my chest and say that irrespective of party, no any other person will have the heart to do what Mr. President is doing for the people of South-East."
Umahi reiterated the need for Southeast to rise up in gratitude to Mr. President for prioritising intervention on roads and for solving the problem of marginalisation in the South East.
Leader of the delegation, Sen. Osita Ngwu commended the minister for the unprecedented scale of road construction, rehabilitation and maintenance nationwide but worried that some of the projects were not adequately funded to beat the completion timeframe.
Ngwu, who is also the Minority Whip of the Senate, representing Enugu West recalled that Enugu-Onitsha Expressway was awarded to RCC and funded through the Tax credit, lamenting that some sections of the road have become a dead trap to road users.
He stated that the delegation was compelled by the recent tanker mishap on the Ugwu Onyeama axis of the road in Enugu State to visit the minister.
Ngwu promised that Federal lawmakers would collaborate in tackling the challenges and bottlenecks faced by the ministry in ensuring the completion of the road.
"We appreciate that since the minister assumed office, that the President has graciously approved quite a number of projects in the South East. We appreciate Mr. President, but we are worried that it is not just about putting projects across our zone, but when these projects are not funded, it looks like it is just a game. We are worried that some of the projects that are in the South East are not receiving funds that can make it to progress so that we can benefit from such projects. And when it is not funded, it becomes a worry to us," he said.
Senator representing Anambra Central in the Senate, Victor Umeh thanked President Tinubu for giving South East a sense of belonging in his administration and for the wave of road infrastructure transformation across the nation.
He pleaded with President Tinubu to accelerate funding for roads in the Southeast to enable the zone benefit from economic development agenda of his Renewed Hope administration.
"While I joined my brother and colleague, Senator Osita Ngwu, in thanking the President for a worthy choice of Engr. Dave Umahi as the Minister of Works, he couldn't have made a better choice based on his experience and what he was able to do as Governor of Ebonyi State through engineering infrastructure in that State.
"Through our oversight functions, we have been able to move around Nigeria in various committees that we serve and we were able to see the great works the President is doing in Nigeria to transform our transportation infrastructure through ambitious road projects and railway projects across Nigeria.
"While we applaud the great strides the President is making to see that our roads are good and our railway infrastructure is actualised, we want to plead on behalf of our people that South East should be given accelerated attention because of the infrastructure deficit we have had before he came on board," he added.
Dignataries that attended the meeting were Senator representing Enugu North, Okey Ezea; Enugu East representative, Senator Kelvin Chukwu; representative of Nkanu East/Nkanu West Federal Constituency, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji; representative of Eziagu/Udi Federal Constituency, Barr. Sunday Cyriacus Umeha; and representative of Nsukka/Igbo Eze South Federal Constituency, Hon. Mark Chidi Obeta.
Others are Hon. Uchenna H. Okonkwo, representing Idemili North / Idemili South Federal Constituency; Hon. Paul Nnachi, representing Enugu East/ Isi Uzo Federal Constituency; Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu, representing Aninri Agwu/Oji River Federal Constituency; Hon Chinwe Nnabuife, representing Orumba North and South Federal Constituency; Hon. Paschal Agbodike, representing Ihiala Federal Constituency; and Hon. Engr. Dominic Okafor, representing Aguata Federal Constituency.
Also, Hon. Gwachan Maureen, representing Oyi/Ayamelum Federal Constituency; Hon. Prof Lilian Orogbu, representing Awka North and South Federal Constituency; General Manager of MTN, Ikechukwu Uchendu; Manager of Federal Affairs, Ifeoma Nkata; MTN Community Laison, Engr Chris Okoye; Project Mgt, Obioha Dike; Tochukwu Onuorah, Legal Adviser; C. J Caleb and Simisola Ogala; and Federal Affairs, Halima Nura.
In addition to the dignataries were key directors of the ministry including Director of Highway Construction and Rehabilitation, Engr. C. A Ogbuagu; Director of Highways Bridge and Design, Engr. B. U Obioha; and the Acting Director of Highways Road and Design , Engr M. Saidu.
This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser (Media) to the Minister of Works, Barr. Orji Uchenna Orji over the weekend in Abuja.
Comments
Post a Comment