The Federal Government has said it has earmarked N431bn for contractors.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Works, David Umah during a meeting with contractors handling road dualisation projects and zonal directors of the ministry at its office in Abuja on Thursday.
Umahi also stated that the ministry intends to focus on the majority of the country’s dualised roads, adding that he had created a performance bond, which meant that all new projects would be guaranteed for ten years.
He said, “Why we are here now is to announce our intention to face most of the dualised roads in the country.
“I want to remind you that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation is funding 50 per cent of the contract sum and that funding goes up to 2025.
“We have N431bn of money that is ready for contractors to clear but there is no certificate for it. If you are doing a job under Phase 1, make an effort to make claims, if your job involves augmentation go back to your regional director for understanding before I sign the certificate. Any certificate I sign now, I have to take account for it even when I have leave office.”
Umahi, speaking through the Director of Information, Press, and Public Relations Unit, Blessing Lere-Adams, encouraged contractors to stick to one lane if their job had not reached 50% completion.
He advised all contractors who had built roads that would not last more than ten years to write to the ministry and request that work be halted or that the road be rebuilt to last ten years.
The minister cautioned contractors that he would not listen to allegations about road problems caused by overloading.
He invited them to join him in creating highways using concrete technology, as was done in India and Singapore.
Umahi also told the contractors and stakeholders to key into the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President’.
He said this administration had 18000 kilometres of roads and inherited a contract of about N14.1tn, out of which N4tn was being paid in all those projects, and some projects had lasted between 10 and 20 years.
The minister alleged some contractors jerked up the contractor sum by 100 per cent, a reason they were not getting paid.
