FG TERMINATES CONTRACTS WITH MOTHERCAT, DANTATA & SAWOE AND RCC COMPANIES FOR NON-PERFOMANCE ON THE DUALIZATION OF OBAJANA-BENIN ROAD; SECTIONS II, III AND IV, WARNS THAT GOING FORWARD, ALL FUNDED BUT NON-PERFORMING CONTRACTS SHALL BE TERMINATED The Federal Ministry of Works has terminated contract numbers 6136, 6137 and 6138 with Mothercat Ltd, Dantata & Sawoe Construction Ltd and RCC Ltd respectively. The projects affected by this termination are the dualization of Obajana - Benin road, section II (Okene - Auchi) in Kogi/Edo State; the dualization of Obajana - Benin road, section III (Auchi - Ehor) in Edo State and the dualization of Obajana - Benin road section IV (Ehor - Benin) in Edo State. The termination of the said contracts became necessary in view of the inordinate delay of the affected companies in job performance and their failure, neglect and or refusal to fulfil their contractual obligations as required by the Standard Conditions of Contract and this has affected the timely completion of the projects and thus resulted in the expiration of the contracts by effluxion of time. The projects which were awarded on 3rd December 2012 were advertently abandoned by the contractors and no genuine commitment or good faith was shown towards executing the projects after accepting the considerations offered by the Federal Government and thereby exposing the road users to untold hardship due to the deplorable condition of the projects. The Honourable Minister has therefore directed the engineers in charge to take necessary steps to enter upon both the site and the works and take the same over from the affected companies. He further directs the engineers concerned to, upon doing the needful, arrange with the affected companies for a joint measurement of work so far done by the said companies preparatory to taking over the sites from the said companies, and this directive is without prejudice to the exercise of other rights of Federal Government under the contract. He warns that the Federal Ministry of Works under his watch will not condone acts of unseriousness and sabotage by contractors whose plan is to become a clog in the wheel of progress of the Renewed Hope administration which is determined to change the ugly narrative of Nigeria's road infrastructure. He further warns that going forward, the government will not hesitate in terminating all projects that are funded but are non-performing.   ...

COASTAL HIGHWAY: TINUBU TO FLAG-OFF SECTIONS THREE AND FOUR IN CROSS RIVER TO AKWA IBOM As part of the commitment of the Tinubu Administration to sustain its on-going infrastructural development drive   in line with its Renewed Hope Agenda. The Federal Government has announced plans to commence the flag-off of the next phase of the Lagos- Calabar Coastal highway from Cross River to Akwa Ibom.  The Minister of Works Senator (Engr) David Umahi disclosed this at the stakeholder’s engagement meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state on 29, June 2024. According to the Minister of Works, “we are here to introduce sections three and four of the famous Lagos- Calabar Coastal Highway. "We started and awarded section one which started in Lagos and terminated at deep port in Lagos and is at 474 km "There is section two that is starting at Lekki Deep Sea Port and taking it to the famous Dangote Refinery"  The Honourable Minister added that the President has graciously directed that sections three and four must start at Cross River and stop at Akwa Ibom. Senator Umahi recalled that the Senate President once addressed the people of Akwa Ibom state, and he assured them that "sections three and four will start on this part of the coastal highway and this is the fulfilment of that assurance, and we are happy doing this”. He added. Speaking further, the Minister explained "that section three has 27km on Akwa Ibom land 38km on Cross River State. While section four is entirely on Akwa Ibom that is 80km. When you add 27km and 80km, you have 107km, so you are benefiting through maximizing this coastal highway. "When we complete the procurement process and award these sections three and four, work will start in many sub- sections of this sections all at the same time. "Tinubu is a man who matches his words with actions. So, we are happy with the level of commendations and support we receive from Nigerians for the so many benefits of the coastal highway Speaking at the event, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio expressed his appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for listening to his plea to start sections three and four of the coastal highways in Cross River State to Akwa Ibom. He called on the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno to give maximum support to the federal government and buy into the coastal highway project. The former governor also called on the Minister of works to engage the services of engineers from the state on the project. Also speaking at the event, the Akwa Ibom state governor assured the stakeholders that the state will cooperate with the federal government to ensure the completion of the project.   ...

WORKS MINISTER LAMENTS ON THE ATTITUDE OF EXPATRIATE CONTRACTORS ON ROAD PROJECTS. PLEDGE TO ENCOURAGE LOCAL CONTRACTORS  The Federal government has announced plans to terminate the contracts of contractors carrying out the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Lokoja-Benin road for delaying the contracts and not showing commitment to the plight of the people.  The Minister of Works, Senator (Engr) David Umahi, disclosed this at the stakeholder’s engagement meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom on 29 June,2024 According to the Minister, while lamenting over the attitude of some unpatriotic expatriate contractors in the country warned that any contractor who continues to behave in that way will have his contract terminated. While inspecting projects sites along Calabar -Itu road on his way to Cross River State from Uyo, Senator Umahi was physically worried about the agony Nigerians go through over the poor condition of the road. He called on Julius Berger to return to the project site immediately to avoid sanctions from the ministry. "We are going to do everything to support local contractors, we are going to encourage them, build them so that they can compete with the expatriate contractors, but more pains no more gains" he said. The Minister thanked President Tinubu for his desire to alleviate the suffering of our people by carrying out massive infrastructural rehabilitation in the country.   ...