The federal government of Nigeria has issued a 14-day termination notice to the contractor handling the Enugu-Port Harcourt Highway, Messrs China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) over non-performance.
The minister of works, Engr. David Umahi, gave the directive on Sunday when he inspected the progress of work at the Ozuaku corridor of the road after Imo Bridge along Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway.
It is noteworthy that CCECC is the contractor handling the Abia Section of Enugu-Port Harcourt Highway currently undergoing rehabilitation.
A statement by the Director of Information, Ministry of Works, Olusola Abiola, said the Minister lauded Arab Contractors, carrying out the ongoing rehabilitation of work on the 56km Abia State section of the Enugu-Port Harcourt highway for quality of work done, with words of encouragement.
On the CCECC section of the Road Umahi said: “I’ve just directed that they should issue them a 14-day termination notice using all due process on construction. After 14 days, if they fail to do what we have asked them to do, then we will have to do the termination notice.
“We will no longer tolerate the situation where contractors will put blank ranks on site. And they will be escalating construction costs by delaying the completion of the project date”.
He continued: “And we have reached an agreement in the Ministry of Works that in the coming weeks, all non-performing contracts using due process will be terminated and re-awarded”.
The Minister called on contractors to demonstrate commitment, saying: “We let them know the suffering of Nigerians. We are here to help them and we will do everything to help them”.
Umahi observed further that, “the cause of non-completion of this project has a lot to do with contractors. Where contractors stay on projects over and over and be pretending, thereafter, they come to request for augmentation every year, refusing to leave the site”.
He assured that “we will force them out of site either on the terms of completion or on the terms of termination. This is what we are going to do”.
Stressing the imperative for the Ministry to deliver quality and good highways to Nigerians, the Minister averred that “it is very important to appreciate all the efforts of Mr President who has been providing funds for our road infrastructure projects; which is very, very good”.
Umahi added that despite over 3,000 road projects inherited by this administration, President Bola Tinubu must be commended for providing huge resources for the road network stating, “So it’s kudos to Mr. President and it shows that Mr. President is very, very sensitive to our road infrastructure needs. And so we must do everything to support the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President, irrespective or notwithstanding any blackmail”.
He said, “The moment a contractor is performing very well, then you are a friend and that’s the bottom line”.
In the same vein, the Minister has described as excellent the job performance of Messrs CGC Nig. Ltd handling the Enugu State axis of the dual carriageway after his inspection of the road project.
While commending the contractor, consultant and the Controller of Works for job quality, Umahi praised the contractor for the quality of work and equipment, while requesting that the ongoing work on one section of the highway must be completed by middle of March as agreed.
