From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
Kano State government has initiated fresh moves to complete the construction of the abandoned 5-kilometre rural road project commissioned across the 44 local governments during the Kwankwaso administration about nine years ago.
Opponents of Kwankwasoâs administration have often cited the highly controversial failed road projects as a low point of the administration and have called for a probe of the circumstances surrounding the failure of the multi-million capital projects.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Wednesday said that the state government had held a reconciliation meeting with the contractors handling the multi-million capital projects.
While meeting with the contractors, Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf commended the contractors for their timely response to his invitation and assured them of his resolve to sustain Dr. Kwankwaso’s rationale behind road infrastructure.
Critical mutual agreements reached after the meeting included the immediate mobilization of the handlers back to sites in the next week to complete the project.
The government also resolved to direct the state Ministry of Land and Physical Planning to sort out issues of pending compensations, the statement held.
“It was resolved that contractors would meet with their respective banks to access 30 per cent advance payment released to the contracts but failed to access it.
“It was further resolved that as a result of recorded escalation in the prices of construction materials, that the government has agreed to review the cost of the remaining items of works based on moderate upward reviewed rates.
“It was also agreed that the government would fashion out planned strategic payments to contracts on a monthly basis such that no payment is stagnated. The resolution had that contractors that accepted the new offer should mobilize to their respective sites within one week otherwise forfeit the opportunity,” the statement held.
