Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has expressed his dissatisfaction over the slow progress on the Akwa Ibom and Cross River states section of the Lagos-Calabar coastal road project.
He has given the contractors one week to return to the site or face termination of their contracts.
During a meeting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital, with construction firms Julius Berger and China Civil Engineering and Construction Company (CCECC), the minister also criticized Raynoids Construction Company (RCC) for their lack of commitment to the Eleme to Onne port city project in Rivers State, giving them two weeks to mobilize or risk contract termination.
The stakeholders’ meeting, focusing on the alignment of phases 3b and 4 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, was held at Ibom Hall on IBB Way in Uyo.
The minister expressed disappointment that the contractors had cited non-payment of compensation as a reason for not mobilizing, noting that the Akwa Ibom State government had already resolved compensation issues related to the Calabar-Itu highway.
He said: “If you talk to them they would say it is because of compensation and this governor, Akwa-Ibom State, had settled compensation issues and so we are giving them a marching order to CCECC to mobilise at least three sections of that road.
“The federal government has released enough money to fund the projects. The same thing with Julius Berger, by the end of this coming week, if Julius Berger fails to remobilise to site and the CCECC fails to mobilise to the sections of the road, the jobs will be terminated.
“The worst of roads in the entire South-South remains this Akwa Ibom to Cross River through Itu and Odukpani and the section being done by RCC. RCC had collected over N40bn on that road; 15 kilometers of roads, N156 billion it inherited from the past administration, they are playing tricks.
“We have been on them to change their mindset and by the end of next week our 14 days notice of termination of contract will elapse, and we will terminate the projects and give to those who have mastery of laying concrete.”
Godswill Akpabio urged state governor Umo Eno and all stakeholders to fully cooperate with the contractors once the project begins.
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