…new carriageway to be concrete
This is definitely good news for those plying the Benin-Lokoja road as the federal government has concluded plans to complete the road which started 12 years in six months time.
This piece of information was released by the Minister of Works, Engineer David Umahi in his office in Mabushi, Abuja during a press briefing with contractors handling the road projects on Thursday.
The man who is also a Senator said the federal government had agreed to BUA’s commitment to construct 30 kilometres of the road under the tax credit scheme after which a tax certificate would be awarded to the company.
His words, “Three other contractors would be mobilised for the construction of the remaining 30 kilometres. The federal government had devised means to hasten the completion of the road project.”
He continued, “The first section from Lokoja is being handled by CGC, the second section is being handled by Mother Cat, the third section is handled by Dantata and Sawoe while the last section is handled by RCC.
“Let me say that this project was first awarded in 2012, later the last administration reviewed the project to N879 billion under the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) tax credit scheme.
“However, the costs of the project is different from the commitment of NNPC because NNPC’s commitment was just N122 billion and so there was a funding gap of N775 billion and I don’t see where that money is coming from.
“So all I did when we came on board was to keep the project but review the texture of the pavement, by allowing the existing carriageway to be asphalt and then review the new carriage way to be concrete,” he disclosed.
The Minister further said that the ministry would mobilise the contractors after signing an addendum to collect 30 per cent fund amounting to N9 billion each while they would be made to sign an affidavit agreeing on the timing for completion of the project.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of BUA Group, Alhaji Kabiru Rabiu said, “The company is committed to supporting the administration of President Bola Tinubu to succeed. In Edo alone, BUA made an investment of over 2billion dollars with five lines of cement.
“The construction of the 30 kilometres road was also in favour of the group as well as the people of Edo. We are committed to making the necessary investment under the tax credit scheme in return for a tax certificate,” he concluded.
Former Governor of Edo State and now the Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomole and his All Progressives Congress counterpart, who is also the Edo State gubernatorial candidate, Sen. Monday Okpebholo were also at the meeting.
Meanwhile, Sen. Oshiomole while commending Bola Tinubu administration, disclosed that Edo state residents had been lamenting over the deplorable condition of roads across the State for the past two to three administrations.
His words, “Some contractors were not serious with the project while some totally abandoned it. We appealed to the previous governments, we had a lot of promises but they were not kept. So we cried to the president. We are happy that through the intervention of the minister, the president has given us a listening ear.
” I was shocked that within 72 hours the minister swung to action, the problem that ministers before him could not solve got a swift answer,” Oshiomole said.
