By Alice Etuka, Abuja
The Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi has blamed RCC Ltd and Nigercat Ltd, contractors handling the construction of the 107km Enugu – Onitsha road for deliberately delaying the progress of the project
Spokesperson to the Minister, Barr. Orji Uchenna disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, August 9, 2024.
Orji said the Minister stated this during a crucial meeting of the Ministry with representatives of the Government of Enugu State and the two contractors handling the project under the Tax Credit scheme – RCC Ltd and Nigercat Ltd.
Umahi while recalling that the Enugu – Onitsha dual carriageway was being funded by MTN under the Tax Credit Scheme expressed disappointment on the condition of the road under construction and blamed the sufferings of the road users on lack of commitment and sheer insensitivity of the contractors.
He said, “The MTN has engaged the subcontractors, two subcontractors, RCC Ltd and Nigercat Ltd. The first time I supervised that project, I discovered that the Nigercat section where we have a binder course had failed. I directed that the binder course must be scarified and reinstated, and I knew it was inherited. I want to believe that it has been done.
“Let me express my disappointment over the slow pace of work on that project. It’s one of the worst roads in this country. Everywhere we have diversion; diverting from the one that RCC and the Nigercat had completed, the contractors are not kind enough to even put stone based on the diversion points.
“So, by the reason of the launching of our Operation Free our Roads, it is now a violation of policy on the side of the controllers and directors of the Federal Ministry of Works where we have vehicles falling on any project that is ongoing or where there are pot holes on our roads”.
The Minister thanked the government of Enugu State for their resolve to fund the construction of 20km Abakpa junction to Akama (9th Mile) section of Enugu – Onitsha road on rigid pavement and the construction of a flyover bridge at Abakpa junction to be refunded through MTN Tax Credit.
He expressed hope that MTN would still execute the construction of the second phase of the 107km x 2 road dualization. He added, “Why Enugu State government is intervening is because of the slow pace of work by the contractors and because of funding issues. The essence of tax credit is for funds to be made available. And so, I don’t see RCC going to keep to their promise to finish this project in 6 months. My advice to MTN is to look for another contractor within that axis if they want to get the job done.
He warned that contractors delaying jobs were on their own as Federal Government, as a matter of policy, would not accept a phased handover of projects as it has suspended Variation Of Price (VOP) in contract administration.
He further noted that the slow pace in the progress of work on the Enugu – Onitsha road dualisation did not lie in funding but in execution by the contractors.
