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Contractors abandon road projects in Kaduna

Some of the projects are said to have been abandoned by the contractors at early stages after collecting mobilisation fees. Government sources alleged that most…

Some of the projects are said to have been abandoned by the contractors at early stages after collecting mobilisation fees.
Government sources alleged that most of the contracts were awarded to politicians and friends of policymakers without adherence to due process. Such contractors deliberately refuse to fulfill their promises, the source said, adding, however, that some of them were not given enough money to complete the projects.
According to investigations by Sunday Trust, some of the abandoned roads include WAEC-GGSS Road, Kawo-College Road and Lafiya Road, all in Kaduna North Local Government Area. These roads were awarded to Al-Usab Construction Company in October 2012, with an advance payment of N128, 040,104.75, out of a contract sum of N512, 160,419. The project was to be completed in 2013.
In March 2014, our reporter observed that the projects were at 47 per cent completion, but a return visit to the site this month (August) showed that no additional work has been done; hence the roads now constitute health hazard for users.          
In 2013, the state government earmarked at least N13, 811,099,622.97 for roads and bridges. However, by the end of that year, only 519.3km roads were constructed; out of which 305.3km were surface-dressed and 214km asphalted. At the end, completed work on roads and bridges stood at 55 per cent. In 2014, the state government also earmarked over N13 billion for the completion of ongoing projects.
A Kawo resident, who spoke with Sunday Trust, said the project was abandoned at an early stage, before the completion of earthwork.
Also speaking to our reporter, a source at the Ministry of Works confirmed that the road was supposed to be completed in December 2013, but the contractor did not receive additional money. He said that in 2012 and 2013, the state government experienced shortfall on internally generated revenues, which affected budget performance.    
Principal of the Demonstration School for Deaf Children, Kawo, located near the abandoned road, Mrs. Victoria Adesina, complained that the dusty nature of the site constitutes a major health hazard to her students.  
However, Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, said that contracts were not abandoned deliberately. “Our administration has not, and will not dump any project initiated by regimes before us. While we continue to allocate scarce resources to tackle numerous demands, it is imperative to ensure the completion of ongoing projects in order to ensure prudent spending of public funds. It will amount to wastage and retrogression if every administration dumps projects initiated by its predecessors; and we shall not fall into such trap,” he said.
The governor revealed that the state government had made a budgetary provision of N8.2 billion this year to fund ongoing road projects in Southern Kaduna zone. He threatened to revoke abandoned contracts or those shoddily executed.

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