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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
Following the controversy generated from his TV interview, Minister of Works, Dave Umahi has challenged Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to a debate, claiming that he is older in engineering practice
Fielding questions after inspecting Abuja -Keffi Expressway, Umahi said Makinde should withdraw the jabs he took at the minister when he said that rather than answer the question on the cost of the road, Umahi was ‘dancing around.’
“I’m his senior in governance and his senior in engineering practice and so anything he doesn’t understand, he should call me and ask. I will not join issues because I have respect for our governors. I have respect for him as my friend and brother but, he should withdraw the word that I am dancing around. I never danced around and if he insists, he should come for debate. That is very important. There is no ambiguity in cost per kilometer but I am teaching them that cost per kilometer could be divided into estimated cost, which has element of variance and average cost, which is definitive. That is what it is,” he said
On the cost per kilometer which was the crust of the matter, he explained that the project is about 43 kilometers but it has been increased to utilise the money given for the project by the last administration which was N73 billion.
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“We have increased it to about 45 kilometers. If we are doing surface tracing on the shoulder, the cost will be different. If we are using asphalt on the shoulder, the cost will be different. If we are using concrete as we are using, the cost will be different.
“It is being mischievous when you ask for the cost of a length of road but by the professorial information, you can ask for cost per kilometer.
For the estimated cost of this project, you can divide #73 billion over 45 kilometers. That is the estimated cost. This cost has the element of contingency and element of variation (vop). They may not likely be used.
“When you have finished this project and of course, you can see that in this project, there are places you are using the existing median and there are places you will construct new median, will the cost be the same? It is not possible.when you have finished, you remove the vop, you remove contingency.
“Then that is when you divide and have an average cost. Average cost of definitive and estimated cost is a probable element” he stated
