1 month ago
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BY UKPONO UKPONG
13 years after the contract for its construction was awarded, the Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike has promised to complete the Apo-Karshi road within six months.
Wike made the pledge yesterday while on the spot assessment on the level of work at the project site.
He said it was disheartening that despite the government paying 86% of the contract value, the project remains uncompleted.
The contract for the project was awarded in 2011, with over 80 percent funding. However the project has suffered several set backs since then.
“Government has paid 86%, and look at where we are. The contract was awarded 13 years ago. I will take this road as a personal project to ensure that the road is completed.
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“In the next two weeks, I want to see equipment on ground before I commit funds. I am not happy; this is not what the citizens bargained for”, Wike declared.
Wike also emphasized the importance of having contractors sign an undertaking to ensure accountability.
“We will have him sign the undertaking that if funds are provided, they will be able to complete it,” he insisted, showing his commitment to transparency and efficiency.
In a related development, the minister has said that the FCT Administration would not commit funds for the construction of the Karshi-Arah road as it has no business constructing interstate roads.
The road connecting Karshi, in Abuja Municipal Area Council, to Arah community in Nasarawa State, is expected to open up both communities. The decision comes on the heels of the delay in completion of the Apo-Karshi road.
Meanwhile, he said that the FCT Administration would only reconsider its decision on the condition that the project becomes a joint venture between the FCTA and Nasarawa State.
“First of all, I don’t see a reason why we should do road from Karshi to Arah, which is Nassarawa, that means it is an interstate road. Interstate road has to do with federal government. FCT cannot fund an interstate road except it becomes a joint venture. Therefore, I am not going to waste the resources of FCT to do interstate road.
“The one that concerns FCT particularly is the Karshi-Apo. It is very unfortunate that for 13 good years, this road has been abandoned and I want to say clearly that part of the problem we have here is politics. Everything we politicize and that is why the development cannot get quickly to our people.
“I’m happy that this new administration of Renewed Hope Agenda, will do everything possible to see the area of Karshi to Apo is completed but my doubt is about the capacity of the contractor. I don’t need to be told, when you go to a site and you see where the company is working, you can say that this company has capacity.
“We’ve been to several sites, all of us can attest to the fact that when you see equipment, you can say that if they tell you they can finish the work in the next one month, you’d believe that they’d finish in the next one month. But this I don’t believe even if you put all the resources down.”
Inspite the doubt, the minister stated that the project cannot be revoked as it will cost the administration more to pay off the contract.
“Again if you go and terminate the contract, then you would also have to pay the cost of it. So these are the problems.
“I want to urge the contractor, it will no longer be business as usual. I don’t care who you are. I don’t care where you come from. You must show that you will be serious. In the next few weeks, I want to see your equipments on ground before funds would be released. I will not release funds to you, when I have not seen your capacity. So they must move their equipments to the site and then they can convince me. But I can tell you here that I am not happy. This is not what citizens bargained for.”
English (US) ·