UMAHI TERMINATES RECONSTRUCTION OF SECTION 1 BENIN-WARRI ROAD CONTRACT

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The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, has directed the annulment of the contract for the reconstruction of Section 1 (Benin-Imasabor) of the Benin-Sapele-Warri Road, which was conferred to Levant Construction Ltd under the Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, because of inadequate performance.

Umahi announced his decision during a briefing after a meeting with the Chief Executives of GELD Construction Ltd and SKECC Nigeria Ltd over the delay in the execution of the Benin-Sapele-Warri road project held in his office.

This was included in a declaration endorsed by his Special Adviser (Media), Orji Uchenna Orji, in Abuja, on Wednesday.

The Minister voiced dissatisfaction regarding the inability and/or disregard of Messrs Levant to meet expectations in their contractual obligations concerning the segment of the road allocated to them.

Umahi stated, “We have three segments there. We possess the Levant segment. Regrettably, Levant has not met expectations. We even had to intercede and implore the Governor of Edo State to please address the most problematic segments of that route.

“We partitioned the most challenging segments into two and instructed Levant to focus on one portion. While the Governor of Edo State intervened, which I believe encompasses approximately 23 kilometres for N35 billion, that segment the Governor of Edo State intervened in is progressing very well, Levant has since vacated the site.

“We gave them a series of warning letters. We also gave them the last termination notice. When a termination notice is given to you, it is for you within 14 days to go back to the site and begin to do those things you were not doing.

“This time is for them to remobilise to the site and for them to work, but they did not respond.”

The minister subsequently directed the Permanent Secretary to get the job properly terminated and write them a letter for a joint measurement, and also to write their bank to request for repayment of the APG.

He vowed to involve the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) should the company fail to comply with the demand to make the necessary refunds to government cofers.

Umahi, however, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of discussions with SKECC Nigeria Ltd and Geld Construction Ltd over the need for them to step up work on the respective sections of the road project being handled by them.

He commended the Governor of Delta State, Sheriff Oborevwori and his Edo State counterpart, Sen. Monday Okpebholo, for their interventions on some kilometres of that road project.

Umahi said, “I have called the Governor of Delta State, and I commend him for the very beautiful work he’s doing. Three flyovers at the same time, beautiful flyovers. In this country, we need such beauties.

“We have also learned from that design. So we appealed to him to get any contractor within that zone to put 10 kilometres with reinforced concrete.