Minister of Works, David Umahi, has expressed dismay at the slow pace of work on the Akwa Ibom and Cross River states section of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project and given the contractors one week to return to site or risk termination of the contract.
Speaking at a meeting on the project with the construction firms-Julius Berger and China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC) in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital yesterday, the minister also frowned at non-commitment to Eleme to the port city of Onne, in Rivers State by Raynoids Construction Company (RCC) to mobilise to site or risk termination of the contract within two weeks.
The stakeholders’ engagement on alignment of 3b and 4 phases of the Lagos Calabar Coastal Highway, took place at Ibom Hall, along the IBB Way, Uyo.
He expressed disappointment that the contractors had been giving excuse of non-payment of compensation as reason for not mobilising to site, noting that the Akwa Ibom State government had already settled the compensation issues concerning the Calabar-Itu highway.
He said: “If you talk to them they would say it is because of compensation and this governor, Akwa-Ibom State, had settled compensation issues and so we are giving them a marching order to CCECC to mobilise at least three sections of that road.
“The federal government has released enough money to fund the projects. The same thing with Julius Berger, by the end of this coming week, if Julius Berger fails to remobilise to site and the CCECC fails to mobilise to the sections of the road, the jobs will be terminated.
“The worst of roads in the entire South South remains this Akwa Ibom to Cross River through Itu and Odukpani and the section being done by RCC. RCC had collected over N40bn on that road; 15kilometres of roads, N156 billion it inherited from the past administration, they are playing tricks.
“We have been on them to change their mindset and by the end of next week our 14 days notice of termination of contract will elapse, and we will terminate the projects and give to those who have mastery of laying concrete.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio called on the state governor, Umo Eno, and all the stakeholders to show maximum cooperation to the contractors when the project kicks off.
