The rehabilitation of the Dekina–Ugbabo Road in Kogi State has stalled at just one per cent completion, despite the contractor receiving N1 bn as advance payment.
This was revealed by the Minister of Works, David Umahi, in a recent statement by his spokesman, Uchenna Orji.
It stated, “On the contract for the rehabilitation of the Lokoja-Shintaku-Dekina-Anyigba Road with a spur from Dekina to Ugbabo in Kogi State, handled by TEC Engineering Company Nig Ltd, the Honourable Minister noted that the contract was awarded in 2022 but recorded only 1.04 per cent completion despite receiving N1bn as advance payment. It was directed that the contractor should lay three km of asphalt by December 2025, after which a final account would be made based on the milestone completed, and the job would be terminated on a mutual basis.
“It was further directed that the assessment for the funds already released shall be based on the old rate, while the assessment for the funds to be accessed under the year 2025 budget shall be based on the new rate.”
The statement noted that the minister reached a mutual agreement with the contractors handling the rehabilitation of the Lokoja-Shintaku-Dekina-Anyigba Road and the reconstruction of the Okene-Ajaokuta-Itobe dual carriageway in Kogi State on the way forward towards rejigging the project delivery dates.
Umahi stated that these decisions were part of efforts to build an effective roadmap on the funding and delivery of ongoing projects inherited from previous administrations.
Umahi noted, “The projects were awarded in 2022 to CCECC Nig Ltd and TEC Engineering Company Nig Ltd and were meant to have been completed in 2024.”
Speaking in a meeting with the contractors held at the minister’s conference hall, Umahi frowned upon the delay by the contractors in achieving the key deliverables of the projects despite the timelines and financial resources made available by the Federal Government.
It added, “The administration of President Bola Tinubu is committed to the road infrastructure revolution anchored on the core values of quality, speed and value for money in project delivery.
“On the contract for the rehabilitation of the Okene-Ajaokuta-Itobe carriageway in Kogi State handled by CCECC Nig Ltd, he noted that the project was awarded in 2022 with a length of 52.27 km, but the contractor has only achieved 1.97 per cent completion (binder) on one alignment despite receiving an N2.5bn advance payment.
“He therefore directed the Director of Highway North Central to issue a warning letter to the contractor to, within 30 days, resume work on the site (using the old rate) to achieve a milestone that is commensurate with the money they received, after which the balance of the job yet to be done would be mutually terminated to enable the Ministry to procure the remaining section of the project for enhanced funding and execution.”
The Minister also directed that the consultancies for both contracts be mutually terminated pending when a new contract is procured for the projects.
Umahi further directed that the consultancies for both contracts be mutually terminated pending when a new contract is procured for the projects.
