FG: Lawmakers Urge Contractor To Meet April 2023 Completion Deadline

By AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja

The federal government and the House Committee on Works have urged the contractor handling  Highway Projects in the  North Central Zone, China Harbour Engineering Company Limited to expedite action in order to complete the projects latest by April, 2023.

The call came during the inspection of the expansion of the 5.4 kilometers Abuja- Keffi expressway and the dualization of the 220 kilometers Keffi- Akwanga-Lifia- Makurdi Federal roads in the North- Central Geo-Political zone of the country by the House Committee on works and housing at the weekend.

The purpose of this on the spot assessment by the Law makers was to ascertain the level of job done and the compliance level of the contractor handling the project.

The Committee was led on the inspection by the Chairman, Abubakar Kabir Abubakar. 

Speaking, Abubakar explained that it was part of their responsibilities to carry out regular oversight functions on critical infrastructure projects of the Federal Government inorder to give value to the money spent on projects,  pointing out that on this particular road project, government has spent billions of naira.

He confirmed that the funding of the project was a joint funding arrangement between Nigeria and China.

“The project is being executed by the China Harbour Engineering Company limited through a Preferential Buyer’s Credit loan from Export -Import Bank of China (CEXIM) with about Eight-five percent of the contract sum being from China and Nigeria is providing the other fifteen percent counterpart fund of the contract sum,” he said.

Taking the team on the tour of the project, the Chairman said that the project is very important as it connects the  three states of Nasarawa, Benue and Enugu. 

On the project performance he said: ” we have raised certain issues concerning some failed portions of the road and we have drawn the attention of the trio of  the Consultant, Contractor and the Ministry to address all these  issues. This he, assured will help avoid compromising standards, ensure quality and  also enhance timely  delivery.”

Responding to the issue of the failed portion especially on the section ll of the project,  the Ministry’s Project Implementation Unit: Road Sector Development Team led by the Senior Project Manager, Engineer Usoh Henry assured members of the Committee that urgent repairs are going to be carried out  as soon as possible, more so since the Contractor has been notified of the failed portions.

Speaking further on the project, Engineer Usoh said that the project is about 75% completed and reassured  members of the Committee that the project was going to be delivered by April, 2023.

According to him, the project was divided into two phases in order to ease its implementation. They are, Phase l; which is the dualization of Keffi- Akwanga- Lafia- Makurdi road and the Phase Il, the dualization of Makurdi-Otukpo- Obollo Afor-Enugu road. 

Speaking about the quality of job done,  Engineer Usoh said that the Contractor has been closely supervised as it is mandatory for all multi- laterally funded projects such as  this road project requires.  

He said that an Independent Consultant has being on site  carrying out an unbiased supervision, monitoring and control of the project adding that  the China EXIM Bank had  also engaged its own  Supervision Consultants to play their roles in accordance with International best Practices.