After persistent warnings, the Federal Government has sacked no fewer than three contractors over their inability to complete allocated road projects within stipulated periods.
The contractors penalized by the apex government after a review of their projects were Mothercat, Dantata & Sawoe Construction, and RCC respectively.
These contractors, before the termination of their contract, were handling the dualization of Obajana – Benin road, section II (Okene – Auchi) in Kogi/Edo State; the dualization of Obajana – Benin road, section III (Auchi – Ehor) in Edo State and the dualization of Obajana – Benin road section IV (Ehor – Benin) in Edo State.
Announcing the development on Monday, the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, stated that the move was made in the interest of the over 100 million Nigerians.
According to him, the termination became necessary given the inordinate delay of the affected companies in job performance and their failure, neglect and or refusal to fulfill their contractual obligations as required by the Standard Conditions of Contract and this has affected the timely completion of the projects and thus resulted in the expiration of the contracts by effluxion of time.
“The projects which were awarded on 3rd December 2012 were advertently abandoned by the contractors and no genuine commitment or good faith was shown towards executing the projects after accepting the considerations offered by the Federal Government and thereby exposing the road users to untold hardship due to the deplorable condition of the projects.
“Following this, I directed the engineers in charge to take necessary steps to enter the site and the works and take the same over from the affected companies”.
The minister further directs the engineers concerned to, upon doing the needful, arrange with the affected companies for a joint measurement of work so far done by the said companies preparatory to taking over the sites from the said companies, and this directive is without prejudice to the exercise of other rights of Federal Government under the contract.
He, meanwhile, warned that the Federal Government through the Ministry of Works under his watch will not condone acts of unseriousnes and sabotage by contractors whose plan is to become a clog in the wheel of progress of the Renewed Hope administration which is determined to change the ugly narrative of Nigeria’s road infrastructure.
He added that after now, the government would not hesitate in terminating all projects that are funded but are non-performing”.
