by The Ajasa News | September 27, 2024 11:14 am
The FCT Minister, Barrister Ezenwo Nyesom Wike on Thursday, September 26, 2024 inspected the ongoing Apo-Karshi Road project as well as the newly awarded emergency rehabilitation of the Nyanya-Karshi road project with a call on the contractors to deliver on time.
Speaking with journalists after the inspection, Barrister Wike who said that the Apo-Karshi Road project was very dear to the Administration, expressed doubt that the Contractor – Messr Kakatar, could deliver on the April 2025 deadline as promised by the contractor.
He said, “We thought that within seven months they ought to have completed but unfortunately the contractor could not move to site because of some procurement processes. But thank God we have passed that stage now and they have also been mobilised.
“I still have my doubts, I will not lie to you, but the contractors are insisting that by April they would have completed this project. It is a project that is very dear to us. We know the importance of this road. So many people are eager to see that this road is completed on time so that it will ease off a lot of traffic. It will also boost the economic activities in this area.
“So let us give them (the contractor) the benefit of doubt and believe that they will play their own part. On our own part, we are doing what we are supposed to do. The funds are there to be given to them.
“And we believe that they should put more efforts. If I come back here again and see that they have improved on what we have seen on ground today, I will tell the treasury department to release further funds to them, but for now let’s watch them because we are very serious about this project”.
The Minister who said that government is a continuum, stressed that the benefit of moving on with the project far out weights the implication of abandoning it because of the myriads of issues surrounding the award of the project and the work being done, adding that the benefits for people were government’s main priority.
He said, “There a lot of things that happened in the award of this project but we try to move on and let people not think we are playing politics, but it wasn’t good at all, I can tell you that. But we have no choice than to see that the people do not suffer”.
While fielding questions on the option of cancelling the project and re-award it to a different contractor, the minister said: “People don’t understand that when you cancel a project there are many implications. There are financial implications and there are legal implications and so many things. So, what we will do is to continue to encourage the contractor to see that he finishes this project on time.
“We don’t have any problem on our own part, that is why from time to time we will come and check to see that the project is delivered on time”.
Speaking on the emergency rehabilitation of 18-kilometre Nyanya-Karshi road contracted to Messrs SCC Nigeria Limited, the Minister also stressed the importance of the road to the economic development of the area, saying that the decision to rehabilitate the road was necessitated by its deplorable condition, which he had observed during a prior visit to Apo-Karshi Road project.
He said, “What attracted me to the road, if you remember, when we came to this Karshi-Apo Road last time, we took that road and I saw how bad it was and I said this is not acceptable to us. And we wrote to Mr President and he approved that there should be immediate rehabilitation of that road. And we are doing it under emergency. And we contracted SCC to see how they can rehabilitate the road.
“It is an 18-kilometre road with streetlights and they have given us eight months to complete the work. We know how important that road is, look at many agencies of government along that road. So, if emergency rehabilitation on that road is done and the Apo Karshi Road is completed, then we are free to go”
Speaking on site both the Head of Engineering, SCC Nigeria Limited, Engr. Ori Aridor and the Executive Director Engineering, Kakatar Company Limited, Engr. Ezekiel Panan assured the Minister that the projects would be completed on time.
Anwering questions on the ongoing strike action by primary school teachers in the Area Councils, Barrister Wike warned that if the strike lingers, the FCT Administration may be compelled to use the 10 per cent IGR meant for the area councils to pay the teachers.
He said, “I have invited the area council chairmen and the NUT to sit down. We try to do what we can do in order to see that the system is moving well. It is unfortunate that the teachers are on strike.
“That will mean that if the teachers are not paid, I will use the 10 per cent IGR which we normally pay to them to pay the teachers. No serious government will fold their arms and watch the teachers stay at home while the children suffer. I will not tolerate that”.
Present during the inspection was the Coordinator, Satellite Town Development Department, STDD, Honourable Abdulkadir Zulkiflu, the former Senator representing the FCT, Senator Philip Aduda and other senior officials of the FCTA.
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