Julius Berger Plc has blamed contractual differences for the delay in the completion of the Bodo-Bonny Road project that was awarded in 2014.
In a statement, the company said it remained committed to the completion of the remaining sections of the major road with the use of advanced concrete technology and modern equipment.
It stated, “Bonny Island roads are part of the Bodo-Bonny Road project contract awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc in 2014. But for contractual differences, the project would have been delivered.”
The Federal Government and Julius Berger Nigeria PLC were locked in prolonged negotiations over the completion of the Bodo-Bonny Road project.
The negotiations culminated in a directive the government issued to the company in April to complete the work before the end of this year, two weeks from today.
The ultimatum followed Works Minister David Umahi’s rejection of the company’s N28bn variation demand on the 82 per cent completed project, with the government offering N20bn instead.
The 39-kilometre road, the first to connect Bonny Island to other parts of Rivers State by land, remains a critical infrastructure project.
Umahi had warned that if the contractor failed to accept the government’s terms and resume work, the earlier 14-day ultimatum, which had already expired, would be reactivated.
However, Julius Berger’s media relations manager, Emmanuel Isibor, explained in a statement on Tuesday that workers were seen last week finalising concrete pavements on both sides of the major road into the island.
The spokesman said the company was constructing state-of-the-art concrete roads inside the oil-rich island, which constitutes the terminal section of the ongoing project.
He claimed that last week, workers were putting final touches on the concrete pavements on both sides of the major road while others were laying reinforcement gauze and later mixed concrete on the main road.
He said, “All through, Julius Berger site workers were seen constructing rigid concrete pavements and roads using specialised international equipment from a worldwide leader in paving equipment out of Wirtgen, Germany. With an array of equipment ranging from mobile concrete batching plants, concrete mixers, concrete pumps, and concrete pavers to concrete boom placer, the workers were busy on the job last week. “
According to the project manager, Tim Nippert, the company is building about 5.50 km of concrete roads with pavements on this island.
He said, “The last 5.50 km on this island will have its roads and pavements built on concrete.
Due to the extremely challenging soil conditions on the main Bodo-Bonny Road and expected long-term settlements of up to 30 cm over a period of 30 years, the contract for the job did not ask for concrete construction on the road except for the island roads.”
“This is an innovative approach to modern-day construction. We are happy over what we are seeing here on this island. Even the progress on the road from Bodo across Afa Creek Bridge and Opobo Bridge across Opobo Channel and Nanabie Creek Bridge to this point on the Island, we are excited. Julius Berger is doing great on this road,” retorted a community leader and chairman of the Bodo-Bonny Road Project Peace Committee, Dr. Osobonye Longjohn.
