Minister tasks contractors on timely completion of road projects

The Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Alhaji Mustapha Shehuri, has called on the contractors handling Tudun Wuss-Kwanar and Bogoro-Buradu Road projects in Bauchi State to expedite actions.

Shehuri made the call on Wednesday in Bauchi during an inspection of ongoing Federal Government road projects in the state.

He said the call was to ensure that the projects were completed on scheduled, saying that the projects awarded in 2017 were due for completion in 2019.

The minister said the 10 per cent level of completion for Tudun Wuss-Kwanar road and the completion of 12 out of 72 kilometres Bogoro-Buradu projects were not impressive.

The minister, however, commended the two contractors, Datum Nigeria Ltd. for Tudun Wuss-Kwanar and Triata Construction Limited for Bogoro-Buradu road projects for their level of compliance to local content.

He said the focus of the Federal Government on infrastructure development was to create jobs for youths in the country and called for improvement in the employment of Nigerian engineers.

Mr Michel Eid, Bogoro-Buradu Project Manager, Triata Construction Limited, said the project cost was N14.6 billion with the completion period of 24 months.

According to him, to complete the project in two years, the government must be prepared to pay N7 billion yearly and unfortunately, we were paid N1.5 billion in 2017.

He said the company was working according to the budget and not completion period.

Mr Charles Ezike, the Federal Controller of Works, Bauchi State, said Tudun Wuss-Kwanar and Bogoro-Buradu projects were awarded in 2017 with 24 months completion period.

He said the contractor had achieved six kilometres representing 10 per cent completion after 48 per cent time lapse for the 47 kilometres Tudun Wuss -Kwanar project.

Ezike blamed the slow pace of work on the project on high water table of construction area, non-relocation of electricity facilities and delay in the payment of compensations.

The controller said Triata, the contractor handling Bogoro-Buradu project, had done 12 out of the 74-kilometre project after 48 per cent time lapse.

Some residents of communities along the corridor of Tudun Wuss-Kwanar project commended the Federal Government for the project, but expressed dismay over the slow pace of work.

Mr Bubar Garba, resident of Baraza Community, had called for the intervention of the Federal Government to accelerate the pace of work on the project and ensure that issues of compensation were resolved.

He said the completion of the project would ease the evacuation of agricultural produce from communities along the corridor of the project to the market.

Mr Musa Yakubu, another resident of Baraza Community, said some youths were being employed by the contractors and pledged the commitment of the community to support the project.