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The Minister of Works , Engnr. David Umahi has decried the deplorable condition of the Abuja. -Suleja – Minna federal roads saying he did not see any construction works done by the contractor handling the project.
The Minister who travelled by road from Abuja to Minna, Niger State capital to attend a Stakeholders Engagement on the construction of the 125KM 3-lanes single carriage of the Niger State component of the 1068KM of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, said he did not see any work done by Salini Nigeria Limited, the construction company that handled the project.
Umahi made this assertion on Wednesday during his keynote address at the stakeholders meeting which was held at the Hon. Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre in Minna. Niger State.
“I have seen clips of the federal roads in Niger State. I was very happy to see it and I want Nigerians to see that this is just a tip of the iceberg of the inherited projects of Mr. President. These are exactly the kind of projects. We have worst situations in some States.
“Mr President inherited 2,604 projects as at May 29, 2023 totalling N13trillion as at that time. And certified projects of debts to contractors was about N1.6 trillion. Today, when we review those projects by the reason of realities on ground, those projects are a total of over N19 trillions. But Mr. President has not abandoned any of the projects. He has listed all of them in the 2024 appropriation.
“When we were coming here, I was very happy that I came through the roads and I thank my Permanent Secretary . What I saw on that road was very disturbing. It was said to have been completed 84.5 percent and even paid for and I was forced to stop and ask “where do we start counting this 84.5 percent”, and they could not tell us. So nothing was done.
“We are going to take decisive action on that road. There is no way we can allow a project to be as old as 14 years and the Contractor is receiving annual budget. I don’t envy Salini, every budget, he comes and he receives money and he goes back and nothing goes on. That will stop,” he said.
The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago who also spoke at the event, condemned the poor state of the Abuja-Minna federal roads. describing Salini Nigeria Limited as a failed Construction firm. He called on the Works Minister to revoke all the roads the company had constructed. He requested the revoked jobs should be given to Hitech and CCECC, two other Construction firms.
“We are calling on the Minister of Works to revoke all the jobs given to Salini, they are a failed company and they don’t have capacity. That section of the roads from Abuja to Kaduna was also revoked, I’m calling on you to give Messirs Hitech, and CCEC. That of Suleja-Minna road inshould also be revoked and given to Hytech and CCECC. These companies have proven and shown capacity.
“And in the stakeholders engagement with you on Friday, if I am going to be there, I will come with the data and look at them in the face and tell them they have failed because the kind of work they are doing is responsible for the huge collapse of these roads. If they really did good work, they should give us guarantee of 30 years and 50 years,” Bago said.
