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From Isaac Anumihe, Abuja
President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has awarded 60km section in the ongoing Benin-Lokoja Federal Highway rehabilitation project to BUA Cement PLC under the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Funding and Infrastructure and Development Refreshment Investment Tax Credit Scheme.
According to the Minister of Works , Senator David Umahi, the new arrangement became necessary because of the N897 billion road project.
One hundred and twenty-two billion, (N122 billion) was available from the Tax Credit Scheme leaving a shortfall of N775 billion.
Umahi made this known, at the weekend in Abuja during a meeting with all the contractors handling the Benin- Lokoja Federal Highway and some stakeholders from the area.
He said that the ministry took some steps to review the texture of the pavement of the project to conform to the new innovation introduced by Renewed Hope administration to ensure best standards and durability.
The minister also disclosed that the contractors handling the project would be mobilised with about N9 billion each which would be enough to complete a 6km stretch on their sections of the road.
Umahi said because of the complexity of the project and the socio-economic importance of the road, 10km would be excised from the existing contractors for BUA to be completed in six months.
He said BUA must deploy the concrete technology on the 60km road with three contractors to handle the project to be able to meet the completion timeline.
He, however, informed the four contractors that they would need to sign an undertaken on the completion of the remaining sections of the road with adherence to the timetable.
“I first went through the road in September, and when I went through it, I was very satisfied that Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and the ministry did very fantastic work. But all I did was to keep the project but review the texture of the pavement. And so, we allowed the existing carriageway to be on asphalt and then reviewed the new carriageway to be on concrete. Being satisfied, so we went through the process of notifying the BPP, and from there, we went to Federal Executive Council (FEC), and graciously, FEC approved, and so we are in the process of signing an addendum to the contract” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the people of the area, the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District and Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior, Senator Adams Oshiomhole praised the determination of the Renewed Hope administration of the president in changing the socio-economic narrative of the nation through aggressive road infrastructure transformation and the uncommon commitment of the Minister of Works in achieving the vision of the president on road infrastructure development.
The Senator who came in the company of the APC Candidate in the Edo State September 2024 governorship election and Senator representating Edo Central Senatorial District, Senator Monday Okpebholo expressed his profound pleasure over the new paradigm in the Federal Ministry of Works, noting that the ministry under Umahi has recorded unprecedented performance in the road infrastructure development within the shortest period of time.
“I was shocked that within 72 hours this minister did not only hear the word of the president, he packaged what I have seen from the briefing to be a doable and workable approach to solving a problem that four or five ministers before him could not solve. So I wish to ask us to appreciate his energy, his drive, and his focus, without which we will not be here today”he said. ENDS
