The Minister of Works, David Umahi, said the ministry has terminated several road contracts nationwide due to delays in their completion.
Although he did not specify which projects were affected, Umahi confirmed that due process was followed in the terminations, many of which had been ongoing for over 20 years.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday in Abuja, Umahi also challenged Hon. Remi Oseni, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), to engage in an open debate regarding comments suggesting the minister has failed in his duties.
He defended his record, asserting that his ministry is currently overseeing nearly 3,000 road projects across the country.
“We have terminated over 10 projects, adhering to due process. Some of these contracts have been in existence for 17, 18, or even 20 years. We are making significant progress,” he said.
Umahi said the current administration inherited 2,600 projects, along with 330 supplementary ones, and estimated that N19 trillion would be necessary to complete all ongoing road works.
Addressing the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway project, he mentioned that Julius Berger has until Wednesday yet to accept the government’s proposal or face contract termination.
“We have given Berger a seven-day ultimatum, which ends on Wednesday, to return to the site based on conditions that will prevent any delays.
“We have been negotiating for 14 months, and if they are not back on site by then, we will issue a notice of termination and proceed with selective tendering to engage no fewer than three contractors,” he said.
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