FG gives Contractors Handling 260 Emergency Projects 3 Months for Project Delivery

The Honourable Minister of Works, His Excellency, Sen. Engr. Nweze David Umahi CON has given the contractors handling the 260   emergency projects  awarded by the Renewed Hope administration of His Excellency, President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR a deadline  of three ( 3) months  to complete  and deliver the projects as required  by the Standard Conditions  of Contract of the  Federal  Ministry  of Works or face  contract termination.

A statement issued by Hon Barr Orji Uchenna Orji, Special Adviser (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Works, noted that this ultimatum  was issued during  a meeting of the management of the Federal Ministry of Works with the contractors handling the various projects and the Federal Controllers of Works held at the Ministry’s headquarters, Mabushi-Abuja  this 8th July 2024.

The Honourable  Minister listed about 37 contractors who have achieved  little  or no milestone in the project delivery since the contracts were awarded and warned  that such contractors  must  mobilize effectively  to the site latest  Wednesday 10th July 2024 or face contract termination.

He said, ” If after the deadline for mobilization to the site, any contractor  fails to comply, the job shall be terminated by effluxion  of  time as the contract is for  a time limit of 3 months.

He further directed, “Any contractor whose  job has stayed  for more than 3 months without  completion after the issuance of  an award letter must seek and obtain approval for extension of time  from the Federal Ministry of Works”.

The defaulting  contractors, most of whom are handling  emergency road projects  inYobe,Jigawa, Zamfara,Benue,Kogi, Abia, Anambra, Imo, Akwa Ibom,  Bayelsa, Cross River and River States were warned  that the  projects awarded to them must be delivered in three 3 months  time as no excuse of security  challenges  or lack of mobilization funds would  justify  the sufferings they are subjecting  road users  or shield  them from being  blacklisted as constituting a clog in the wheel of progress in the efforts of the Renewed Hope administration  in revolutionizing  road  infrastructure for Nigeria’s economic prosperity.

He said, “The people are suffering, the President is having sleepless nights in his efforts to fix our road infrastructure to help our economy, and people will be given jobs and they are telling us stories. There have been jobs awarded by this ministry in the past and money paid, and the contractors would  hold the money, and they would say it’s a security problem. Didn’t you know about the security situation before you got the job?”

He gave a marching  order to the  Federal Controllers of Works to ensure  proper supervision  of projects in their  sites and be abreast with the contract awarded,  amount, date of award, timeline, review  date, extension of time, argumentation granted and whether the contractor is on site.

He reiterated that  mobilization funding  under  the Standard Conditions of Contract  is not a condition precedent for them to move to the site but it is at the discretion  of the Federal Ministry of Works and can be made available only to contractors  who can undertake through  affidavit  of commitment to complete  the job within three months of mobilization.

He stated, “Our new policy is that if you want mobilization and we are happy to give you, you will abide by the conditions. One is that there will be no review of any component of the mobilization given. Two, we will give you 30% and you will do 30% of work before we can give you another money. So please, mobilization is not compulsory. Is that clear? Again, emergency projects are not mobilized. The rule is that in emergency projects, you will  go and  do it 100%, and then you submit your papers. We now pay you 80% and send your documents to BPP. When they approve, we pay you the balance of 20%.”

 In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Yakubu Adam Kofarmata, PhD  stated  that the period had gone when contractors were taking the country  for granted and could  afford to delay in job delivery for years  after  collecting mobilization and would  keep feeding on the VOP.

 He charged contractors  to brace  up to the new spirit of “Nigeria first,” introduced in the Federal Ministry of Works under the Renewed Hope administration  of Mr. President.

He said, “Honestly, we have a stake. It is about the Nigerian nation. We don’t have any other country other than Nigeria. Believe me, we are pushing the Honorable Minister right now to stop considering this VOP and augmentation, because, there is no reason, after being given an award letter, you come and say you are waiting for payment for six months. Please, let us consider the nation first. Once we put Nigeria first. You see that things will move.”

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